Heartfelt Obligation
by ladytsukin0
Summary: When Princess Minako discovers the renowned soldier Mars Rei has been recruited to protect her, she is more than indignant. After Rei saves her from a nearly fatal attack, however, Minako begins to have a change of heart and realizes there's more to the warrior than what she believed. Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye. Reinako AU.
1. Prologue

A/N: Hey! This is my reinako chapter fic that I will (hopefully) be able to keep up with throughout the year (I'm in college so we'll see how that goes). I posted the prologue and chapter one in one sitting because they're both relatively short. Most of the chapters are pretty long, too, so updates will usually be a week or two apart. If you have any questions about the plot as it goes on, I'll be happy to clarify anything!

Also, big shout out to user **salvasti** who has been helping my brain sort out this fic. Check out her reinako story **Hindsight** if you haven't already!

* * *

She was out of the shuttle before it even touched the surface of the planet.

Her boots took off in a sprint after landing on hard ground, wisps of raven hair following behind her as she charged her way through the empty courtyard. Her heart pounded in rhythm with each footfall. It thudded sporadically in her chest, pulsating through to her head, keeping her conscious amidst the overwhelming feeling roused by her senses. They were beckoning her, pulling and clawing the outside of her brain each wrong turn she made. Despite propelling herself forward, she felt she was running in slow motion. She was reaching her destination, but not fast enough.

She was inside now, her instincts luring her further down the corridors. The halls were devoid of any life, though, it didn't shock her. The very beginning of the invasions started in this kingdom, after all. There were bound to be very few people left, had they made it out alive.

She was drawn to the golden doors at the end of the hall—the throne room. It was ironic, surely, that he had picked this room in particular. It was as if he was mocking her, taunting his rising superiority over her and his corrupt intentions. She was sure that was the reason. The thought sent a new wave of acrimony for him over her, and she found herself bursting through the set of doors, too blinded by anger to even formulate a plan of action—just the mere intent to kill.

She would, too—without a second thought. It was in her very blood to demolish those who wronged her and her people. Fuck, she would kill for _less_ than that given her upbringings, but her morals wouldn't allow her to do so. This, however, would be a justified kill.

She steadily made her way down the carpeted path. Darkness had blanketed the sky, and her only source of light were the stars and the moon that showed brightly through the windows.

It was that gentle gleam, however, that illuminated a figure further down the hall. A beam rested just above the still form of the Venusian princess as she lay unconscious at the end of the walkway. The red gash on her temple told her she was brought here against her own will, and her first instinct was to dismiss her stealth and careful tread and dart over to her. Every part of her brain was screaming at her to ensure she was okay because it was her _priority_ for the love of all the gods.

But as she took that first step forward, she stopped.

It couldn't have been that easy.

She waited a moment or two, allowing her senses to do a sweep of the area, when—what was that?

She turned sharply at the sound of a low chuckle. The sliver of light was just enough for amethyst eyes to make out a second shape in the middle of the room. She waited until the silhouette came into full view, and the hairs on the back of her neck rose at his chilling grin.

"Welcome, Rei," he greeted in mocking formality. "Shall we begin?"

The heavy weight of her sword slung by her side lifted. She didn't wait for him to move first.


	2. Chapter 1

_"_ _Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye." –H. Jackson Brown Jr._

The wild grass danced in a gentle gust of wind as the tall, white cloaked man started across the field. He was in search of the Venusian Princess, and, if his intuition proved to be correct, he would find her further down the pathway where the grass gave into boundless delphiniums encompassing a rather large stone.

Despite the certainty he felt that she would be there, a wave of relief still washed over him at the sight of her figure crouched before the rock, for the princess' golden mane was easily identifiable in the midst of the tall grass and flowers. Once he finally made it so that he was directly behind her, he placed a gentle, reassuring hand on her shoulder. The gesture roused little movement in her, for she still sat in the same position that she had been for the past few minutes... hours? She wasn't even sure how long she had been stationed there anymore.

"Are you alright?" he prompted after a few more moments of silence from his superior.

The princess paused, but only momentarily; she knew the question would be asked eventually, though, she still wasn't sure how to answer it.

"Even as I sit in front of his grave I don't believe it," she uttered. "I feel like _I_ did this to him, Artemis. I feel like it's my fault."

Artemis' long, white locks moved along with the grass, hand still resting on her shoulder comfortingly. Since his arrival to Venus from the Moon several years ago, he swore an oath as royal advisor to Queen Aphrodite's only daughter, Minako. Since then, he has watched over her, guided her... most importantly, he has become more of a father figure to her in the absence of her own. To ensure her safety, one of his responsibilities, as instated by the Queen, was to find a suitable protector for her due to the solar system's growing discontent and invasions amongst the planetary kingdoms.

Venus Daichi, the first noble guard to so graciously accept the role once appointed by Artemis, commenced his duty when Minako was fourteen. Daichi was kind, loyal; he grew to be more like a brother to her. Two days ago, he was recruited to join a task force down on Uranus, but was killed in combat along with the other men who descended down to the planet.

Artemis frowned. The memory of Minako's reaction to the news was still raw. For six years Daichi stood by her side, and for him to suddenly be ripped away from her left a gaping hole in the princess' heart.

"What happened to Daichi was... tragic. He was a good fighter, and most certainly a good man," Artemis nodded solemnly. "But none of this is your fault, Minako. The commanding officer felt he was needed on Uranus that day. No one could predict such an unfortunate situation, especially with his skills."

"There will always be a part of me that has regret," Minako spoke robotically. "I could have made more of an effort to keep him here instead of going out in battle. The commanding officer wouldn't have defied my wishes; I would have made sure of it."

The advisor sighed lightly, removing his hand from her shoulder. "Minako, while his duty was to protect you, he was also still a soldier and had to act as one. I'm afraid... nothing you said could have stopped him from going."

Minako let her head hang for a moment as Artemis stood quietly behind her. He peered up at the sky. It was getting late, and he wondered how long the blonde had been sitting there.

"Will I be getting a new warrior?" Minako suddenly blurted, snapping Artemis' gaze back to her. He caught the slight bitterness in her tone.

"Your mother believes it will be necessary," he spoke carefully. Minako scoffed.

"And how do you expect to find someone to succeed Daichi? He was the best soldier here on Venus."

"You're right," Artemis relented. "And that's why I'm searching elsewhere for someone just as good."

For the first time since his arrival, Minako pivoted to face her longtime friend, but by the time her blue orbs snapped behind her, Artemis had already started his trek back to the palace.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: This chapter actually didn't come out as long as I had hoped, either, so expect another one within the next few days. I'm a good few chapters ahead in this fic so that I won't be late with updates or keep y'all waiting. Anyway, thanks for the favs/reviews and all that jazz!

* * *

 _I reach out tonight and find I can't fight it_

 _and look toward the stars and wander towards a_

 _heartfelt obligation, a place you call home._

"Tainted Obligation" - R.E.M

The shuttle came to a rocky stop as it landed on the red planet. Artemis stepped out of the compartment, taking a moment to observe his surroundings.

Mars. It has been years since the adviser stepped foot on Martian soil, though, suffice to say, not much has changed. While the people have since embraced more technology, Mars still appeared so… underdeveloped compared to its neighboring planets. Martians were known for their rather uncivilized tendencies, so modern advances didn't prove to be a necessity for their culture. Growing up in a Lunarian city and now the lavish Magellan palace, it was easy for Artemis to feel rather daunted and out of place in the Martian atmosphere. Still, he disregarded his slight discomfort and waited patiently to be addressed.

"Are you Artemis, sent from the high palace of Venus?" a young man questioned in Martian as he approached the white haired foreigner. The harsh, strict language caused the hairs on Artemis' arms to rise at each syllable. He quickly looked over his getup, his eyes lingering a bit too long at the sword slung by his side which his hand casually rested on. It wasn't uncustomary for nearly every Martain to wield a weapon, whether they're a soldier or not. With his armor and heavy gear, though, it was no question this man belonged to the Martian army.

The soldier shifted impatiently while Artemis cleared his throat, snapping himself out of his musings.

"Yes. I am here to see Commander Akihiro," he finally said, not even attempting to answer in the little Martian he knew. While he had a basic understanding of most of the dialects, he wasn't confident in his ability to speak them, and he preferred to not make an unintentional mockery of the language on a planet full of barbarians that oftentimes kill for less than that.

He gave a curt nod and slipped into Lunarian, the common tongue for most people regardless of their home planet. "Right this way."

Artemis followed the red clad soldier past the transport platforms until the palace Phobos and Deimos came into view. Much to his surprise, however, the young soldier led him around the gates until they were behind the palace and in what appeared to be the training grounds. Hundreds of Martian soldiers mingled in the open field as the sound of swords clashing and scraping against another's caused Artemis to flinch every now and then. While this kind of practice is also seen on Venus, Martians were much more aggressive in their combat training, which oftentimes led to some being sent to the infirmary. As Artemis gazed upon the warriors, he suddenly felt uncertainty about his undertaking there. Martians were so much more barbaric and hostile; Minako would certainly not get along with someone so divergent to her.

" _No, they don't have to be friends_ ," Artemis reminded. " _The Martian's duty is only to protect her, nothing more_."

After the mental affirmation, the young soldier stopped in front of his commanding officer, bowing hastily before moving back a few feet to stand stiffly by one of the pillars.

"Artemis?" he spoke gruffly, offering a nod in recognition to his superior title. "We heard news of your arrival. I'm Akihiro, commander of the Martian army."

Artemis bowed at his honor. "It's a pleasure, commander. I'm humbled that you were able to take the time to meet with me."

"Anything for an ambassador of Venus," Akihiro stated. At this, Artemis smiled hesitantly, for he could detect the slight sarcasm in the comment. "So, what is it that you need from us?"

"It's not so much what I need, but what Lady Aphrodite has requested for the princess," Artemis informed. "The past six years, Venus Minako has been under the strict protection of her personal guard. Three days prior, he was killed in a terrorist attack on Uranus, and the Queen is afraid that no other Venusian soldiers have the ability to succeed him. She sent me to Mars to find a suitable warrior to aid her."

Akihiro smirked and folded his broad, bronze arms in front of him. "It was wise of the queen to send you to the planet whose soldiers are renowned for their excellence in combat, but what makes you believe any of these men would put their skills to use by being a personal guard? They were raised to _fight_ , not kiss some princess' ass all day."

Artemis bristled slightly at his blatancy, though, Martian's weren't exactly known for their formality. "Commander, you of all people should know the dangers that the inner realm planets face. Opposers are everywhere in the outer solar system and are slowly making their way to us. Their first priority is to demolish the planet's kingdoms and the democratic system, and that includes killing any and all heirs to the throne," his dark blue eyes hardened. "My job is to keep Princess Minako alive and therefore ensure the survival of Venus' kingdom… but I need one of your skilled men in order to do so."

Akihiro took the adviser's words into consideration, the mention on the infamous terrorist clan that has been wreaking havoc in the solar system suddenly rousing a sense of fear in the customarily stoic Martian. He let out something of a grunt and gestured for him to follow. "Come, you'll get a better view of the army as you walk."

Artemis nodded, suppressing his own sigh of relief at the commander's words. Their trek commenced in the field a safe distance away from the fighting warriors, but close enough to get a clear look at their faces. Artemis scanned the sea of red soldiers as Akihiro spoke.

"Our army trains for ten hours a day, with very limited breaks in between."

"Seems like a strict routine," Artemis commented.

"We only want the best," Akihiro replied. Artemis nodded distractedly as he zeroed in on a soldier a ways down the field. His eyes narrowed at the warrior's rather strategized—and almost graceful—way of fighting.

"Who is that?" Artemis inquired, turning the commander's attention to the figure ahead.

"That one there? That's Rei."

"His movements are something I've never seen before; it's almost meticulous, as if he knows what his opponent's next move is," the Lunarian observed. At this, Akihiro boomed with laughter, and Artemis pivoted to look at him questioningly.

"Yeah, you're right. She's one of the best; you have a good eye, ambassador."

"Sh-She?" Artemis stammered, clearing his throat awkwardly to hide the blood rushing to his face. "Excuse me."

Akihiro let out a few more chuckles before fully composing himself. "Yeah, well, you aren't the first to make that mistake, and you probably won't be the last. Rei is one of the few women we have in the army, but even I can't deny her talents. I'm sure she will surpass your expectations in her duty to the princess."

Artemis watched as the soldier in question removed her helmet, revealing dark, raven tresses that pooled behind her until it met her mid-back. She panted under the intense heat and ran a hand through her sweat-coated bangs before her eyes locked with the adviser's across the training grounds. Artemis stiffened under her intense gaze, wondering if this woman somehow knew she was being spoken about despite being a couple yards away. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, he turned away from her to address the commander.

"I would like to speak with her, if that is possible."

"Of course. Masao will show you to the conference room. I will come in with Rei shortly," Akihiro informed as Masao, the young soldier from before, gestured for Artemis to follow.

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Time passed slowly as Artemis waited patiently for Akihiro's return. He sat in one of the many chairs in the room, fingers drumming rhythmically against the mahogany table. His gaze ventured out the adjacent window, contemplating the outcome of the situation. What would Minako think of Rei—a young Martian _woman_ protecting her, at that? It's quite possible that after all of this effort, the princess may very well disregard the Martian completely and this will all be for naught.

Artemis sighed, praying to the gods that Minako's stubborn tendencies won't prevail. Of course, it will take some time for her to warm up to Rei, especially after the relationship she had with Daichi, which is understandable. Regardless of how she feels toward Rei, however, she has to understand that she is only there to protect her… be it that she accepts the role, that is.

He shifted in his seat and tried to get his mind off the worst possible situation, only to have the door open moments later to reveal Akihiro with Rei following close behind.

Artemis immediately stood at their entrance. Akihiro cleared his throat before speaking.

"Is this the soldier whom you wish to speak to?" he asked as Rei stood silently beside her superior.

"Yes, thank you," Artemis replied promptly.

"I will return once you have reached a decision," the commander said, gesturing for Masao to take his leave as well. Once the doors closed, an awkward silence invaded the room as the Lunarian and Martian stood on opposite ends of the room. Artemis felt the heavy weight of Rei's intimidating stare once more.

Seeing her up close made her look exceptionally different than how she appeared out in the field. She had cleaned up nicely, her raven hair now brushed out neatly and tied back loosely with a red ribbon. She appeared to be the same age as Minako, though, her mature appearance could deceive many in thinking she was a few years older than twenty. Her eyes, which so boldly stared back at the white haired man were a compelling shade of violet, something that he hadn't noticed from a distance. They also complimented her porcelain skin, which hadn't darkened much despite training in the scalding sun for hours.

For all intents and purposes, the Martian was… well, rather beautiful.

"I suppose introductions will be necessary," Artemis finally spoke after a quick yet careful examination of the young woman. He smiled warmly. "My name is Artemis, I am the mentor to the Princess of Venus. I was sent here to recruit the most capable soldier to replace the late Venus Daichi, Princess Minako's personal guard."

Rei's purple eyes shifted. "And… you want _me_ to fulfill that role?"

"Erm… well, yes. That is, if you are willing to do so."

"What would I get out of it?" she asked, folding her arms in front of her armored chest.

"You will be paid upon your arrival to Venus," Artemis said.

"I wasn't asking for an incentive," was her rejoinder, and the adviser's mouth closed with a click. "I find my skills are put more to use here. What would being a personal guard do for me?"

Artemis started over to the window and gazed at the scenery. From a distance, he could see the city's bustling streets accompanied by a temple, whose architecture easily stood out amidst the many shops and houses along the strip. Martian temples, specifically, were renowned for their detailed, hand-crafted interior designs and uniquely complex structures. Despite its patches of barren land, Mars was still beautiful in its own way.

"Minako cannot fight for herself. For most of her life, she has had someone protecting her so that the need for swordplay would be unnecessary."

"Luxury of a princess," Rei muttered unabashedly.

Artemis' blue eyes briefly met Rei's violet ones. "Yes… but with that luxury comes consequences," his gaze drew back to the window. "I'm sure you are well aware of what has been going on in our solar system. The Opposers are making their way to our realm, and their intent is to enforce dictatorship by killing any and all rulers and their potentials on every planet, and they've already succeeded in doing so on Uranus. If there is ever an attack on Venus, gods forbid, Minako would have no means of defending herself if Opposers were to get to her. She needs someone like you to protect her," for a second time, he looked her way. "I understand if you don't want to help, and there are hundreds of other soldiers who could take your place. I just saw the most potential in you."

Rei stood still, arms still crossed indignantly in front of her. Artemis waited as she silently contemplated his words while the anticipation in the room grew each passing second. Finally, after almost a solid minute, the warrior relented and let out a sigh.

"When do we leave?"

The smallest of smiles graced Artemis' lips.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: I know I said I would post a new chapter a couple days after the last update, but I had some computer problems and thought I was going to have to have Geek Squad take it for a few days, so I'm sorry! For those of you who are getting the free Windows 10 upgrade, be careful. It downloaded fine on my computer but it caused it to be SUPER slow no matter what I did... I had to revert back to Windows 8 to get it back to normal.

Anyway! I'm babbling. But also, I forgot to put a disclaimer before that **I don't own Sailor Moon OR any of the songs** I put at the beginning of each chapter. If you want you can check out the songs after or before each update if you're interested. It's all good stuff! :)

* * *

 _She's the blade and you're just paper_

 _You're afraid 'cause she's got closer._

"She's the Blade" _-_ Sugarcult

Artemis tossed a quick glance at Rei, who sat on the other end of the transport on their way back to Venus. Her dark eyes were locked on her lap, as if lost in deep thought. He wondered what she was thinking, perhaps if she had made a mistake in accepting her new role as Minako's protector. He opened his mouth to speak, but his words seemed to fail him. That, and he was oddly still intimidated by the twenty-year-old warrior.

"If you have questions, then I'd prefer you to ask them instead of simply gawking," Rei stated bluntly, gaze trailing up to meet Artemis' now flushed face. He cleared his throat.

"Forgive me, I was just—"

"You want to know if I already regret coming with you," she finished, and Artemis fell silent. "I assure you, adviser, I wouldn't have agreed to join you if I didn't want to. That being said, I intend to do my job fully and without hesitation. In the end, you were wise to pick me and not anyone else."

Artemis smirked lightly. "You seem awfully confident in your abilities."

"It's not just about skills," Rei started. "You were sent to Mars because of its exceptional warfare tactics and swordplay, yet the Martian army isn't highly regarded like it is on other planets. Martians—men, specifically—aren't raised with many morals and therefore have little respect for women, regardless of their class. From the day they learn to walk their lives become centered on battle and survival; emotions are hardly ever considered. They're scum. Picture _that_ following the Venusian princess around and her not being taken advantage of."

Artemis narrowed his eyes. "So you're saying you're different."

"I'm saying I know what's right and what isn't. Not many Martians have the decency to tell that apart."

Artemis' blue eyes found the floor as he contemplated Rei's words. The thought hadn't even occurred to him that retrieving a soldier from a barbaric planet could have exposed Minako to new dangers. He assumed that, in regard to a noble such as the Venusian, a Martian would show some shred of respect despite their upbringings. And for Rei to unabashedly refer to them as scum… Artemis shivered. He prided himself on his keen intuition by choosing Rei in the plethora of Martians.

"I don't mean to pry, but do you have any family on Mars?" Artemis asked, eager to keep the flow of the conversation going.

Rei found looking out the window to be of more interest as she stated simply, "No."

The adviser deflated slightly at her curt response, but his curiosity got the best of him. "Were you orphaned?"

Surprisingly, Rei wasn't disgruntled by the inquiry, but still refused to meet the Lunarian's gaze as she spoke. "My mother died when I was a child and I never knew my father. I lived with an older couple in Pylos, that is, until they found out about my… ability."

Artemis picked up on the hesitation in her tone. "What do you mean?"

Rei sighed and finally turned to him. "When I was a teenager, I found out I harbored extraordinary powers. It's something of a sixth sense. I'm able to… _feel_ certain things before they occur and detect auras. They told me I was cursed and to leave and never come back, so I didn't. I joined the army when I was fifteen."

Artemis frowned as sympathy for the warrior roused within him. It was aberrant for a Martian to open up in the way that Rei just did, though, it was evident that there were a lot of pieces left out of the story. It wasn't much, but for a Martian, it said a lot.

"I'm sorry, that must have been hard for you," Rei only shrugged, clearly wanting to veer away from the topic. "These… powers you wield; do they aid you in combat?"

"Yes, sometimes," she said truthfully. "I can sense threatening or unknown auras."

Artemis nodded, intrigued by the foreigner's answer. "I'm sure it will be quite useful."

"Assuming my skills will be needed here," Rei muttered.

"Trust me, they will."

The Martian rose a dark brow at the adviser's words, but didn't have time to inquire about it before the shuttle hit Venusian soil.

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Artemis led a silent Rei down the corridors of the palace Magellan to the throne room, where both Princess Minako and Queen Aphrodite were waiting. Between the pair, Aphrodite was the only one who was aware of the Martian's appearance; for all Minako knew, a Mercurian could very well walk through the doors.

Her ignorance, however, is what scared the adviser. It's anyone's guess as to how the princess will react to a Martian, of all people.

Artemis came to a halt in front of the set of doors where the queen and her heir sat unbeknownst to their presence. He placed a hand on the cool handle and turned to face the rouge soldier.

"Princess Minako has been… on edge since Daichi passed. She is also unaware that a Martian is taking his place. I would advise you to not take anything she says to heart if her reaction isn't the most sincere or welcoming."

Rei nodded in comprehension at the disclaimer before the heavy golden doors swung open. Artemis was the first to enter as Rei followed behind. Immediately, the white haired man dropped to one knee at the sight of the queen. Rei stood stiffly.

"Your grace, princess," he greeted the pair formally. Aphrodite gave a nod of recognition while Minako was too busy eyeing the newcomer to give her adviser any remnant of acknowledgement.

"Please, rise," Aphrodite commanded gently, and Artemis complied. "I see you made it safely back from Mars. And… you have a straggler."

Artemis smiled at the queen's wit. "Yes, my Lady. This is Mars Rei, one of the best warriors in the Martian army. She has accepted the role as protector for the Princess Minako."

Rei bowed awkwardly and noticed Minako gnaw the inside of her cheek, as if suppressing an outburst.

"It's a pleasure to have you with us, Rei. Thank you for using your skills to keep Minako safe. Your actions are admirable," Aphrodite said genuinely. She turned to her unusually quiet daughter. "Minako, do you have anything to say?"

Rei heard Artemis swallow audibly as all eyes fell on the princess. After a pregnant pause, she suddenly stood from her throne beside the older woman and made her way down the few steps until she was about a foot away from the Martian. Rei's cool demeanor faltered as her brows creased slightly at the Venusian's behavior, though, she took the opportunity to subtly examine her.

Minako was beautiful—that was a given. Yet, the young woman Rei imagined on the shuttle didn't compare to Minako's rare, captivating beauty. Her long, silky blonde hair fell behind her while a red bow sat atop her head, pulling her sides up neatly. Deep cerulean eyes, which so fiercely stared into Rei's pools of violet, sent a shiver down her spine for a reason she didn't know. The light orange dress accented her perfect frame, and while her heels gave her some height, Rei still surpassed her by an inch or so.

Rei has met very few Venusians in her lifetime—most of what she knows about their personalities is through hearsay. Venusians, through word of mouth, are all complacent, standoffish, and attractive; and from what Rei got from the few minutes with Minako, she seemed to embody them all.

After standing in front of the slightly dazed warrior for a few seconds, Minako began to slowly circle around the Martian, eyes never leaving her figure. Rei's boundaries were shattered as she felt Minako behind her, practically feeling her breath on her neck.

Once she made it back around, she stared back at Rei for a brief moment, then turned to look sourly at Artemis, who in turn, appeared just as confused at her actions as Rei was.

Finally, without saying a word, she brushed past the duo and started down the carpet hall until she reached the end. Everyone but Rei flinched as the sound of the slamming door echoed in the vast room.

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Artemis made his way down the corridor in pursuit of the Venusian princess after she stormed out of the throne room. Aphrodite apologized to Rei on her daughter's behalf while Artemis attempted to ease the tension by sending her away with another Venusian noble to show her around the palace.

As far as Minako's reaction goes, it wasn't nearly as bad as the adviser thought it would be, considering the outbursts she's had in the past—though, she was younger and more immature then. She was still having difficulty accepting the death of her brother-like figure, and to suddenly transition to Rei—the young warrior whom she knows nothing about—was a drastic change for her.

He stopped in front of her door, gently knocking on its fine wood with his fist. "Minako, it's me."

The few words granted his permission inside, and once he entered he found Minako laying on her queen-sized bed.

He closed the door in the wake of his entrance. "Aren't you worried you're going to wrinkle your dress?"

Minako glowered in turn at the lighthearted joke. She wasn't in the mood to be humored. "I'm afraid I have better things to worry about than the state of one of my hundreds of dresses."

Artemis withheld a wince at the rejoinder, though, Minako's catty remarks were something he was accustomed to by now. He took it upon himself to sit at the edge of the bed.

"What's going on?" he prompted. Minako's eyes immediately snapped to him. Artemis swore he saw the lick of a flame in them.

"What's going on is that you hired a Martian to take Daichi's place without telling me. A _Martian_ ," she stressed. "They're crude, heartless people who know nothing of love. What makes you think someone like that would be fitting for me?"

"Minako, it's not as if you're being wed to Rei; she's only here to protect you," Artemis tried to reason. "As for recruiting a soldier from Mars, it was your mother who sent me down there. Martians are known for their exceptional skills in battle, and from what I've seen Rei do in the little time I spent observing her, she certainly lives up to that expectation. Your mother only wanted the best for you."

Minako scowled. "What, so _she_ is the best for me?"

"I think you're quick to judge," Artemis argued calmly. "Your perception of Martians is tainted, but I assure you Rei is different."

"How can you possibly know that?" Minako challenged. Artemis fell silent as his mind trailed back to the conversation he and Rei shared on the shuttle back. After the abandonment she faced throughout her life, it is easy for her to distance herself from others. Rei isn't crude—she's simply misunderstood. For Minako to understand that side of her, she has to gain a sense of communication with her; it wasn't his place to say.

When the Lunarian didn't say anything, Minako sighed and averted her attention elsewhere. "If that is all, then you can leave."

Artemis stood and made his way over to the door, but turned around to face the blonde once more. "I know you're grieving, but Daichi is no longer here to protect you," at these words, Minako met his gaze. "I know you don't like it, but at some point you're going to have to accept the fact that Rei is here now. She willingly came here to aid you when no one else could. Not all Martians are bloodthirsty heathens. At least have the decency to not treat her as such."

Artemis exited the room, letting the door close with a gentle click. Minako cursed under her breath.

* * *

By the way, Pylos is an actual crater on Mars and is named after a Greek palace. ~the more you know~


	5. Chapter 4

_You're too mean, I don't like you, fuck you anyway_

 _You make me want to scream at the top of my lungs_

"Afraid" - The Neighbourhood

Early mornings brought early morning routines, such as mandatory council meetings that commenced before the sun nearly rose over the horizon. Minako wasn't sure why she was required to attend them, for most of the time it was a committee made up of older men who argued with each other for the two hours they had in the conference room. Even if Minako tried to speak up given the chance, she would most likely receive petty responses that downsize her authority. After all, a young princess such as herself rarely had their own opinions on politics—at least, that is what the councilmen believed. Though, Minako liked to think she wouldn't feed into their assumptions, but rather defy them with just how much she actually knew and could contribute. They could dismiss her all they wanted; Minako was still very much aware of what was going on in the solar system. Still, she decided to remain quiet rather than provoke another conversation amongst the group. She was desperate for the dull conference to end.

After the meeting came to a close, Minako found herself venturing outside on the archway overlooking the field at the back of the palace. After getting up so early, it was futile for the princess to try to rest seeing as her mind was wired from the disputing councilmen, and apparently the only other people up at that hour were the soldiers who were training in the courtyard.

The soldiers and apparently, Rei.

Minako narrowed her eyes at her figure below, which stood out the most—not just due to her traditional Martian attire—but because of her movements, which were much more meticulous and aggressive than the other Venusian soldiers. The princess scoffed nonchalantly at her display, yet remained intrigued by the newfound warrior. It was obvious that she was the best one in the field, as she countered every soldier that dared cross her path.

Minako knew she had to talk to Rei eventually, and the thought dreaded her. Despite taking Artemis' words into consideration, it was impossible for the princess to change her mind set on the Martian. How could she possibly get along with someone so opposite of her own beliefs and values? Not to say she and Rei _had_ to get along, but having a good sense of communication is the beginning of being able to trust someone, and without it, all of that trust is lost.

First, Minako had to learn to accept and respect Rei's role as her protector just as Artemis had told her, though, her unwavering indignation proved that she had no intention of doing so anytime soon.

So enthralled between watching the Martian and thinking about her, the Venusian didn't even register her adviser who had been addressing her for the past minute.

"Minako?"

The blonde jolted and quickly turned to meet his questioning look. She straightened up and folded her arms in front of her coolly. "Yes?"

Artemis' blue eyes traveled down to where his superior was looking, only to give a knowing smirk. "Admiring Rei's skills, I see?"

Minako rolled her eyes dismissively. "Hardly. The _whole_ army is doing an exceptional job."

The Lunarian's gaze shifted to the mix of Venusian men, most of whom had fallen or given up after facing a certain dark haired, violet eyed opponent. He wondered if the army was just terrible or if Rei was simply too good.

"Right," he cleared his throat, averting the topic. "Listen, I was hoping I'd find you sooner rather than later. I just spoke with your mother and she won't be able to attend the conference on Jupiter in a few days due to scheduling conflicts. She asked me to tell you to go in lieu of her."

"Jupiter?" Minako echoed. "Isn't it too dangerous? Most of the terrorist attacks are occurring in the outer realm right now."

"Well, it's a good thing you have a protector now, isn't it?" Artemis was quick to counter.

"Artemis, I don't think—"

"Minako, this is a perfect opportunity for you to start building trust with Rei. It'll be good for the both of you," he smiled—rather triumphantly—before starting down the archway. "We'll meet later today to discuss your travels… you _and_ Rei."

Minako's jaw clenched at his words and let out a string of Venusian curse words. Her gaze trailed back to the warrior she so unabashedly gawked at for several minutes prior to Artemis' arrival, watching as she finished off the last Venusian soldier who so bravely yet foolishly challenged her. Moments later, her pair of amethyst eyes peered up to meet Minako's cerulean ones. They stayed that way for a few seconds before the princess broke the spell by turning to take her leave.

As she marched down the pathway, she ignored the putter in her heart in meeting the Martian's quick yet captivating stare.

* * *

Rei's foot tapped incessantly against the hard floor, keeping a steady beat. After her training session, Artemis approached her in passing telling her to meet in the conference room in a few hours for an important meeting. Despite its apparent urgency, the adviser failed to mention what it was about, leaving the Martian unbeknownst to the topic. If she had to guess, though, it would most likely be about Minako… or, at least some aspect of it.

Her first night on the foreign planet wasn't as bad as the warrior expected. After the interesting first encounter with Minako (to put it lightly), one of the Venusian nobles gave Rei a brief tour of the palace before leaving the Martian at her quarters—one that just happened to be appropriately stationed next to the Venusian princess'. After such an eventful day, she was able to gain a sufficient amount of rest in order to get up for her accustomed rituals the following morning.

Rei huffed and leaned back in the chair, folding her arms in front of her. Artemis was late, which, from what she understood in the little amount of time she's spent with him, was rather unusual for such a punctual man.

Just as Rei was about to give up and roam the halls to try to find the Lunarian, the door abruptly swung open, revealing not Artemis, but a certain blonde haired, blue eyed princess. Rei was slightly startled by her appearance, but judging by Minako's reaction to her presence—or, lack thereof—it seemed as though the complacent diva was already well aware that she would be there.

She closed the door behind her and sauntered over to the seat across from Rei, purposely ignoring her pointed stare. Not counting their brief encounter down on the field a few hours ago, the pair hasn't interacted with one another since Minako's dramatic exit in the throne room yesterday. There was already a lot of tension within the span of those few seconds they sat awkwardly near each other, with Rei averting her eyes back to Minako every few seconds while the princess found observing her nail beds to be of more interest.

Finally unable to stand the awkward silence in the room, Rei spoke up. "Artemis is late."

Minako held back an eye roll at the obvious statement. The princess wasn't stupid; Artemis' tardiness was a subtle push for her and Rei to talk to one another. She's known her mentor too long to know he was up to something; that and he has never been late for a meeting no matter how trivial it was.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," was all she said on the matter, still avoiding eye contact with the Martian.

The silence ensued once more and Minako found herself biting her lower lip to distract herself from the frustration she felt toward the adviser. Keeping them in a room together won't solve anything. Minako was stubborn and Rei wasn't going to bend over backwards to appease the princess. They were at a standstill, and someone had to make the first move.

"Why were you up so early?" Rei suddenly asked, and Minako, surprised by her inquiry, finally turned to meet her gaze. "I saw you while I was training."

"Oh," Minako said flatly. "Well, I had just come from a meeting and found it futile to return to my room seeing as I had other priorities within the hour."

"What was it for?"

"What?"

"The meeting," Rei clarified.

Minako pursed her lips saucily before averting her eyes for a second time. "It's classified."

Rei withheld a scoff as Artemis, at long last, finally stepped in the room. Minako let out a breath of relief.

"Sorry about the delay," he apologized rather half heartedly. Minako waited for his reasoning, but it never came. "I see you both have made yourselves comfortable."

"Quite," Minako deadpanned. This time Rei did openly scoff at the blonde's sarcasm, only to receive an icy stare from the woman. She turned back to the white haired man. "Now, what is this supposed meeting about, exactly?"

Artemis pulled out one of the chairs beside Rei to sit on. He slapped some papers on the table, and at a glance, Rei saw what appeared to be a map of Jupiter.

"In three days time you will travel down to Jupiter to attend on conference with the ambassador in place of your mother," Artemis answered the princess. "I understand your concern for venturing down to an outer planet, but that is why Rei will be there with you should anything go wrong."

Minako's eyes narrowed. "What makes you so certain nothing _will_?"

Artemis smiled a little, knowing the young woman all too well. He pulled out the map Rei saw earlier and attempted to ease her worries. "I'm sure you are well aware of Jupiter's massive size. It far surpasses Venus in capacity and inhabitants, which means their army is twice the size of ours. They have soldiers protecting every crevice of Io—where you will be—and its other densely populated cities like Ganymede and Callisto. It'd be surprising for any Opposers to come through without one of their thousands of soldiers per city noticing."

Rei watched as Minako relaxed slightly as she tossed her blonde mane behind her. "Very well," she replied calmly. "What of the conference? I would like to know what I'm attending it for."

The Lunarian shuffled some of the papers around until he found the one he was searching for. He slid it across the table for the blonde to look over.

"It's an alliance pact with Jupiter," he started. "In regards to the uprising in the solar system with the terrorist clan, the Lunarian leaders have established a declaration of trust between the planets. In response to the death of King Uranus and Princess Haruka, they are taking immediate action in order to prevent another incident such as that from occurring. Jupiter is proposing a union with Venus concerning warfare and military, and it's your job to accept this treaty on your mother's behalf."

Minako frowned as the potential severity of the situation crashed down on her. If there was one thing she learned from the countless meetings she was forced to attend is that while the Moon and its rulers are ultimately in charge of the solar system, they rarely ever interfere with planetary conflicts. It was their job to oversee the planets flourish and promote peace and harmony, not partake in acts of war or violence. While the alliances were a far cry from that, they were the first step in preparing for battle.

A feeling of dread settled in the blonde's gut. It was bad if the Moon Kingdom was preparing for the worst.

"So… basically if the terrorists were to attack on Jupiter, our forces would back them up, and vice versa?" Minako simplified Artemis' prior explanation.

"Yes, exactly."

"Why Venus, though?" Rei blurted. "If Jupiter wanted a pact with a planet wouldn't it be more convenient and efficient for it to be Mars? We are their neighboring planet and our military is stronger and more abundant than Venus'."

"Mars has already formed their own alliance with Mercury," Artemis explained. "Mercurians are known for their technological assets, rarely do they ever use combat. They were chosen to side with Mars so that there would be a balance between the planets, where Mercurians would provide Martians with the technical services they lack such as highly advanced radars. Martians, in turn, will provide them with essential weaponry. Jupiter intends to find that same balance with Venus."

"And in order to ensure this… alliance, there is a supply and demand in exchange for military assistance from each planet?"

"Yes," he replied. "It's whatever the planet values the most. For Jupiter, that would be medicine harbored from their vast plant life."

Rei opened her mouth to continue, but Minako beat her to it. "And what of us? What would we provide?"

Artemis' hesitation didn't go past the Venusian, but he was quick to conceal it and respond promptly. "We will also be trading some of our prized weaponry in order to seal the contract."

Rei's eyes narrowed, still skeptical of the Lunarian's statement. Minako sighed lightly in her seat.

"It seems these threats to our solar system are only worsening if alliances are being formed. People are preparing for the worst," she said somberly. "It feels like a war will erupt soon."

"It is a dangerous time for all of us," Artemis agreed. "We all must be extremely cautious within these next few months."

He shared a glance with the pair. Rei sat quietly.

"Well," he started, rising from his chair. "Unless either of you have any questions, I believe we can call this meeting to a close. Thank you for your time."

* * *

After the meeting with Artemis and fulfilling the rest of her duties, Minako retired to her room the first time that day. She was anxious to get away from the bustle of people and allow herself to digest all of the information thrown at her in such a short period of time.

Still, no matter how much she tried to relax, her mind couldn't help but revert back to the Jupiter trip that was to happen only in a few days. While Minako has been on several planetary meetings throughout her life, this one will be the most important and most dangerous one so far. With the Opposers terrorizing major cities in the outer realm, Minako couldn't help but worry that they'll somehow hear word of her arrival to Jupiter and take advantage of the situation.

Minako bit her lip, thoughts racing through her mind. She just hoped all of this worrying will be for naught and that she could go there and come back safely.

There was a sudden knock on her door that startled the princess from her musings. Expecting it to be Artemis, she got up to answer it, only to find Rei on the other side. Minako blinked rapidly to process the Martian as she stood stoically in front of her.

"Yes?" she asked, daring to meet her dark amethyst eyes.

"Um… I'm supposed to accompany you to dinner," Rei replied, surprising Minako at how awkward the statement came out. Normally the woman was so straightforward.

"Says who?" she demanded.

"Your adviser," Rei retorted just as saucily.

" _Of course_ ," the princess thought bitterly. Though, when Daichi was alive he would escort her down as well; Artemis was attempting to maintain tradition. That, or the conniving man was still finding ways to get them better acquainted with each other.

Finally, the blonde sighed. "Very well," she relented and turned to close her bedroom door. Rei started down the hall with Minako close behind.

"So, why is it that I have to take you to the dining area? Do I have to feed you as well?"

Minako sneered. "Don't be ridiculous," she snapped while a subtle grin slipped on Rei's lips, oddly finding amusement in riling the princess. "I've just become accustomed to it. Daichi started taking me when I was young. I suppose Artemis is just continuing it."

Rei glanced her way, watching a frown flick at the corner of her pink lips. "You and this… Daichi," she began, staring straight ahead. "Were you two close?"

She smiled solemnly and paused for a few seconds, only to give a simple answer. "Yes."

"How did he die?" Rei asked. Her curiosity was getting the best of her, and she suddenly realized that she was being far too bold considering her and Minako's current relationship, or lack thereof. And given the silence emitting from the usually outspoken blonde, the warrior began to regret her inquiry. "I didn't meant to—"

"It's fine," she interrupted. "I have to talk about eventually."

Rei locked eyes with her cerulean ones for the first time the entire walk. She gave a small nod of reassurance. The princess continued.

"About a week ago he was recruited on a mission down on Uranus. Unbeknownst to anyone, Opposers planned on invading the planet and ambushed their kingdom. The king and his daughter became the first victims of the terrorists the solar system quickly grew to fear. The best soldiers on each planet were recruited to ward them off, but Daichi was killed trying to do so, as were the other hundred or so men here who were sent down."

"That took a vast toll on your army," Rei noted. Minako frowned.

"As if they we weren't outnumbered by everyone else before," she muttered bitterly.

Rei nodded understandingly, yet still remained rather impassive on the subject. "I'm sorry that happened."

"Me too," Minako murmured as they stopped in front of the dining area. After a moment, she cleared her throat and composed herself, suddenly abashed for telling the Martian such an emotionally scarring story. She bristled. "Just sit by me and be quiet, okay? And please refrain from humiliating yourself in front of the councilmen; your actions reflect on me, too."

Not even giving the other woman a chance to answer, she pivoted in her heels and made her way in to the room. Rei only scowled at her retreating form. At least Artemis will be pleased to know they talked for more than five minutes tonight.


	6. Chapter 5

_She told me not to step on the cracks_

 _I told her not to fuss and relax_

 _Well, her pretty little face stopped me in my tracks_

 _But now she sleeps with one eye open._

"Girl With One Eye"- Florence + the Machine

Minako stared out the adjacent transport window carefully mapping out the day's events while Rei sat opposite of her, lost in her own world as well. From the princess' view, they were about to land on Jupiter where she was to attend a council meeting with the ambassadors concerning the alliance pact that was offered to Lady Aphrodite weeks prior. Minako worried her bottom lip, praying to the gods that the trip will be successful in that the alliance will go through and she and Rei make it back to Venus safely.

The thought of the Martian prompted Minako to cease her worrying for a moment to chance a glance her way. Her frame hunched over as her elbows rested on her knees, intense gaze locked on the floor below her. Minako's brows creased at her display, wondering what she could be thinking that could produce such a broody reaction.

" _Is she worried about an invasion as well_?" Minako wondered, still gawking at the dark haired woman. When she caught the soft, knowing smirk that settled on her ruby lips, she quickly averted her gaze back to the window. The blonde cursed herself for her blatancy and the Martian for her intuition.

A few moments later the shuttle hit hard ground, indicating their arrival to Europa, the planet's capital. The rough stop snapped Rei from her trance. The transport door opened slowly.

Minako stood and released the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding before stepping out of the cool compartment and into the thick humidity of Jupiter. Rei mimicked her movements and waited close behind her.

Almost immediately, the pair were greeted by a hoard of Jovian representatives, most of whom were men. One middle aged, slightly balding man approached the princess. Minako could barely find his smile under his thick, auburn beard.

" _Guess I know where all his hair went_ ," she joked inwardly. She straightened up when he bowed before her.

"Princess Minako, it is an honor. Europa and the palace of Io welcomes you," he started. "My name is Souji, I am one of the royal ambassadors here on Jupiter."

Minako reciprocated the gesture all while flashing a brilliant smile. She suddenly felt at ease in his presence. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ambassador."

His eyes trailed to Rei, who stood stiffly behind Minako's smaller frame. "And… who might you be?"

Rei opened her mouth to respond, but Minako was quick to interrupt her. "Mars Rei. I assure you, she's no one to worry about," she said hastily. "She's… just here to ensure my safety."

Souji nodded, turning back to Minako to avoid the pressure of Rei's stare. "It is wise of you to have someone like that around. These are troubling times."

"Indeed," Minako agreed, voice small.

Souji extended a hand behind him. "Come, my lady. We have much to discuss."

The duo began their trek following Souji and the rest of the Jovian delegates inside the palace. As they walked, a feeling of dread suddenly overcame Rei, and her senses were tugging at her gut warning her about an unwanted presence.

She craned her head behind her to find the source of what she felt, yet the city's densely populated area made it harder for the Martian to detect the specific aura.

Still, she reached out and grabbed Minako's wrist, effectively ceasing her strides. She pivoted to meet Rei's gaze, brows furrowed angrily at her behavior.

"What are you doing? Let go," she demanded, eyes flicking down to Rei's grip on her.

"There's something wrong here," she muttered. She peered behind Minako where Souji waited, eyes narrowed at their interaction.

"What are you talking about?" the blonde hissed. The warning shot a look of fear across her face, but she was quick to compose herself. She didn't want the Jovians to suspect anything of their behavior. "We've just got here, how could anything possibly be wrong?"

"I just have a bad feeling. I need you to trust me," Rei urged, voice low.

"I will not have you ruin this expedition for me over a mere _feeling_ ," Minako started, voice rising in anger. "And right now I could trust you as far as I could throw you."

She pulled her arm away forcefully, releasing Rei's hold on her wrist before storming ahead, heels clicking against the hard pavement.

Rei's jaw clenched as her dark eyes scanned the perimeter once more, still sensing the same foreboding feeling writhing in her gut.

* * *

The group retired to a more private area of the palace to discuss their business. Souji led them down the hall into one of the chambers, which Minako assumed was their conference room, for it highly resembled her own on Venus.

"Please, take a seat," Souji ushered the princess and Martian, who both readily complied. The remaining Jovian diplomats also sat down, filling the empty chairs around the table. Rei remained tense.

"I assume you know why you're here," Soiji started, flipping through the pages of documents that were waiting on the table. "These terrorist attacks are only growing. I'm afraid that within the last month the Opposers have increased in both number and in strength. It's only a matter of time before they reach the inner realm."

Minako swallowed hard and toyed with her fingers under the table. "I understand the clan favors dictatorship, but who is the supposed representative who desires to rule the solar system?"

Souji's light eyes met the princess'. "His name is Takeshi. We don't know much about him, as he is very discreet and has others do his work for him… but he is the mastermind behind the group. He will stop at nothing to see our planetary rulers destroyed and to reign all the planets and their peoples. He has already proved his strength by killing the Uranian king and his heir."

A shiver shot down the blonde's back at the words. "What could possibly drive someone into wanting to do such a thing?"

"Power," Souji replied promptly. "Power corrupts people."

Minako's brow creased. "Are you saying Takeshi was of nobility?"

"Indeed, he was," he Jovian stated. "He was a high leader in the Uranian court. No one is sure what triggered him to have such a radical change of heart, but he left Uranus a year ago without a word and no one heard from him for a long time… that is, until he emerged with an army."

"It makes sense as to why he's only attacking outer planets right now; it's possible his base is in that realm," Minako supplied thoughtfully.

"He may very well be harboring there seeing the consistency in attacks," Souji agreed. "Which is why we intend to forge an alliance with you and your planet. It is important to have allies in this uprising."

He slid several documents Minako's way across the table. Rei's foot tapped against the floor, reminding the princess of her presence again. The dark haired woman has been much too quiet since her dispute with Minako earlier, though, it was clear she was still tense about something.

Minako reached for the quill nearby and brought it steadily over the first document to sign. After several minutes, most of the paperwork was completed. As Minako readied to fill out the last one, Souji spoke up.

"Once the documentation is fulfilled we will have the medicine ready for you to take back to your planet. Of course, for you, the wedding has yet to be determined."

The Venusian froze while her gaze slowly drew up to meet the bald man. Even Rei snapped out of her musings to stare wide-eyed at the ambassador.

"I'm sorry, _wedding_?" Minako stammered, blue orbs flicking from Souji to the other Jovians.

"Yes," he drawled, offering a bewildered look at the blonde. "The contract was to be solidified by Jupiter providing Venus with essential medicines while the Venusian Princess pledged to marry the Jovian Princess. You _did_ know about this, didn't you? Your adviser should have gone over the pact details with you before you traveled."

Minako's head was spinning at the words tumbling out of his mouth. _Marriage? Artemis didn't breathe a word about that!_ "No—he—I didn't—"

Rei's senses went haywire, and she suddenly sprang to life. "Get down!"

She pulled Minako down to the floor with her under the table just as an explosion sounded in the room, shaking the surface beneath them. The Jovians all cried out in terror, some covering their ears while others mimicked the warrior's actions by seeking refuge under the table.

Minako was too stunned to process the situation. She instinctively clutched onto Rei's red clad suit, burying her face in her shoulder with her eyes squeezed shut.

" _This can't be happening. This_ _ **can't**_ _be happening!_ "

She suddenly realized her current stance and quickly peered up at the Martian, whose fierce violet eyes flicked every-which-way for the source of the attack, while her strong arms wrapped protectively around the princess' figure, pulling her close.

In the midst of the commotion, Minako couldn't help but notice the familiar flutter in her stomach at the warrior's actions.

"We have to leave," Rei's voice snapped Minako from her daunted state. "If we wait any longer…"

Another explosion rumbled the floor like a thunder bolt rippling in the night sky. Rei pulled Minako up to her feet.

"Follow me," Rei ordered the Jovian men, who promptly complied.

The Martian gripped Minako's hand as she led her and the group out of the palace. The diplomats separated, along with Souji, as they attempted to escape the chaos.

Rei and Minako sprinted down the walkway all while dodging the men and woman who scattered about in panic from the attack. Rei gritted her teeth together in determination as the shuttle platform came into view while Minako still held onto her for dear life. It was then when she noticed immediately the foreign ship that hovered over the palace, firing explosives every minute or so. Rei cursed inwardly and urged Minako to run toward the platform with the tug of her hand.

As the princess attempted to keep up with Rei's pace, her eyes locked on one of the masked men as he started toward the palace. Her throat suddenly swelled shut in fear at the sight; the faceless, unidentifiable creatures stalking the planet's people like prey. Several more Opposers followed after him as they descended down from the transport they arrived in.

Seeing them so up close made it so much more real.

Just as the shuttle was a mere few yards away from their reach, Rei skidded to a stop as one of the terrorists fell from their own transports above. He fell in a crouched stance in front of them before slowly rising to stare at the Martian through the eye holes of the mask. Minako gasped at the action while Rei instinctively brought her free hand up to shield her from what she expected would be an attack.

He wasn't quick to move at first, which gave Rei enough time to think of several different ways to counter his moves should he dare to make one. In the midst of carefully watching him, however, it was then when the warrior noticed that he wasn't staring at her at all.

He was looking at Minako.

Rei's eyes narrowed at the discovery, but ceased any thoughts when the masked man finally came at the pair. Rei released her hold on Minako in order to successfully stop his fist mid-way before crashing her knee into his stomach, causing him to double over in pain.

It was enough of a reprieve for Rei to turn back to address the princess. "Get to the shuttle!"

"But—"

"Now!" she cried, and Minako's heels took off in a sprint. The invader sneered before attempting to strike the Martian again, but was met with her fist in a searing punch. He stumbled backwards, trying to regain his composure, before removing two knives hidden on the inside of his sleeves. Rei's hand trailed to the pommel of her sword stationed at her side, ready to unsheathe it when her instincts prodded her to.

He took a few steps slowly to his right. Rei's eyes followed him carefully. After a moment of built up tension, he flung the first weapon toward her rather haphazardly, which the soldier evaded easily with a quick pivot. It was evident the hits he took had taken a toll on him. She charged toward him while ripping the sword out from its containment just as he readied his second knife, but the tip of her weapon had already penetrated his side before he could release it.

He rasped at the pain as the knife slipped from his grasp and onto the ground. Rei grunted as she pulled out the sword before his body fell in a heap, much like his disregarded weapon. She wasted no time in dashing to the platform, cursing the masked assassin for their delay.

Finally making it to the shuttle unscathed, the pair shot across the solar system in a blaze of light, not once looking back.

* * *

"Martian warrior, what were your intentions on accompanying Princess Minako to Jupiter?"

"How did you foresee the attack before it occurred?"

"Are you a member of the Opposers?"

Artemis placed a palm over his forehead in exasperation as the Venusian council surrounded the woman in question seated uncharacteristically calm across the room. When Minako and Rei abruptly arrived back to Venus, the pair were both immediately questioned as to what they were doing back so soon by three councilmen who just happened to witness their shuttle land on the platform. A still very shaken Minako explained the attack and how by all the gods above Rei was able to get them out safely because she foresaw an attack.

Minako hadn't thought anything of it. The councilmen, on the other hand, were quick to take Rei in the conference room for questioning based on the report. Minako could only helplessly watch as she got taken away despite ordering the mean to halt.

When the situation was explained to Artemis, he knew very well how Rei was able to warn Minako of the invasion seconds before it happened. He remembered Rei telling him about her sixth sense on the shuttle to Venus and how it aided her in combat on several occasions. Though, it occurred to him that he was the only one who knew this, and trying to convince a room full of legislators that the Martian had a sixth sense would be quite a difficult task.

"What you are asking is ludicrous. She isn't part of the terrorist clan," Artemis stressed on Rei's behalf.

"How can you be so sure? We know nothing about this… Martian," one man, known as Katashi, spat. "She could very well be an Opposer. How else would she know about the attack?"

Artemis stood from his seat. "Rei was born with an extraordinary power. Her senses are much more enhanced than a normal human. She was able to foreshadow the danger before Princess Minako got hurt."

Another scoffed in the corner. "What, so now this is based on a matter of sorcery?"

"It's not magick, it's an ability," the Lunarian tried to clarify. He turned to the stoic woman. "Tell them, Rei."

With some hesitation, Rei opened her mouth to answer, but was quickly silenced by the sound of the doors bursting open. The men—and Rei—all turned to find Venus Minako striding down the carpeted hall, stopping where the table began. Rei practically heard them all gulp audibly at her angered display.

"Release her," she stated firmly, cerulean eyes boring a hole in every councilman in the room.

"I'm afraid that's impossible right now, your grace," Katashi replied. "Your Martian still must be questioned on the matter."

"I don't understand you—any of you," Minako cried angrily. "She saved me _and_ all of the Jovian delegates from the Opposers and you reward her by what? Ambushing her with _questions_? She should be praised for returning me back here unhurt. None of our soldiers could do that."

Artemis nodded curtly, though he was surprised that she was defending Rei so passionately. "Princess Minako is right," he met Minako's irate glower toward him, and he quickly averted his gaze. He knew the reasoning behind it, but brushed aside his guilt in order to continue. "At any rate, I have told you the truth on the subject, so there should be no further questions."

"Very well, then, let us ask Minako-sama," Katashi said, again turning to his superior. "Your adviser claims your Martian has something of a sixth sense, which is how she was able to detect the danger on Jupiter. Were you, too, aware of this?"

Minako blinked rapidly in order to process the question. Her eyes flicked to Rei in the corner of the room who sat frigid and unreadable. "No, I didn't," her gaze fixed on the other Venusian. "But it makes sense."

Katashi narrowed his eyes. "So you're saying you believe this so called 'ability'?"

"I do," she said matter-of-factly. Artemis gave an encouraging nod behind her.

"Hasn't the thought of her being part of the Opposers crossed your mind? We know little to nothing about this woman," Katashi argued, jabbing a finger in the silent Martian's direction. "For all we very well know she was the one who set up the attack because she was the only outsider who knew your travels down to Jupiter."

"If she were part of the Opposers, as you so readily accused her of, then why would she go through all the trouble of saving me? She would have left me to die," Minako was quick to counter. "And the Jovian ambassadors also knew of my travels; why are you not suspicious of their activity?"

"I—well—"

"I believe you when you say that there is a traitor in our midst, councilman," Minako interrupted, folding her arms in front of her. "But I do not believe Rei had anything to do with it."

Katashi's jaw clenched as he sighed inwardly, unable to defend his case any longer to the head-strong woman. He waved a dismissive hand. "No more questions. You are free to go, Mars Rei."

Minako breathed out in relief while the rest of the men awkwardly shuffled out of their seats and filed out the door. The princess watched as Rei made a dash toward the exit, not even chancing a glance her way as she silently whisked herself out of the room.

Wanting to go after her, Minako started forward but was stopped by Artemis' call. She slowly turned to face him, meeting his small smile with a resentful look.

"You did well," he said. "I'm glad to see you're starting to have a change of heart with Rei."

The blonde's head shook disdainfully as she spoke. "How dare you," she uttered. "You _knew_ about the marriage contract and didn't tell me!"

Artemis placed his hands on her shoulders in attempt to console her. "Minako, if you knew that in order to solidify the alliance you had to be betrothed, you wouldn't have even gone. I couldn't tell you."

"So instead you lied to me?!" she cried, aggressively shrugging away his touch. "Lying to a high ruler of Venus is considered treason, especially involving an alliance pact with another planet! I could have you imprisoned for such an act!"

The Lunarian's head hung in shame, effectively avoiding her hurt gaze. "Forgive me."

She took a dangerous step closer to her long-time friend, hands clenched into tight fists by her side. "I don't want you near me. _Ever_. Let that be a warning to you."

Still too ashamed to look at the noble woman, he waited until he heard the thundering boom of the golden doors indicating her exit before sulking out of the room.

* * *

After being trapped in the conference room for over an hour with the Venusian delegates, Rei hastily returned to her room in attempt to calm her racing thoughts. She was overwhelmed not only from all their questions and insinuations, but she was still shaken from the trip from Jupiter. She knew it was reckless of her to warn Minako before the incident occurred without her knowing about her ability. Still, it was her duty to protect the princess at all costs, and she wasn't going to hesitate to act. In the end, she didn't regret her decision.

Three knocks on the door prompted the Martian to cease her pacing and migrate over to open it. For what seemed like the millionth time that day, Rei stood face-to-face with Minako, and judging by her expression, she hadn't really cooled down from her heated discussion with the councilmen.

"We need to talk," she stated firmly, practically plowing her way through Rei in order to invite herself in the room. Rei only sighed at her actions before closing the door and turning to face the roused blonde.

"What is it?" she asked calmly.

"I need to know the truth," she demanded. "I need to know if you're lying to me about your sixth sense because I stuck my neck out for you and it would be a terrible, _terrible_ mistake on my part if you are, in fact, an Opposer," she said breathlessly. "So, what is it?"

Rei rose a steady hand in front of her. "I swear it's true. I've had this ability for as long as I can remember. Artemis only knew because I told him on the way down to Venus. He was… quite inquisitive."

Minako folded her arms in front of her. "Fine, then. I just wish you told me sooner; it's likely they wouldn't have grilled you with questions had I known prior."

Rei frowned. "You and I both know that was impossible given our….dispositions towards each other."

The Venusian bit her lip, knowing the warrior was right. Instead, she turned away from her intense stare to look out the window. "I'm sorry I'm so on edge, I just…" she ran a hand through her golden locks. "I've been lied to a lot today."

Rei knew she was referring to the information she found out about on Jupiter; the information Artemis was supposed to rally off to her before her departure to the planet. Being lied to on not only such an important part of the treaty, but also having it be a close friend made it hurt just a little bit more for the princess. It was understandable as to why she felt the way she did.

"You didn't know about the betrothal," Rei murmured.

Minako shook her head, still facing the window. "Venusians value love above all else. We marry for _love_ , not as a bargain to solidify an alliance. It's insulting to our culture," she cupped a hand over her forehead. "I just don't know how I'm supposed to trust him again."

Rei's eyes found the floor, feeling for the royal woman. "I'm sorry."

Minako scoffed and faced the warrior once more. "You're not the one who has to be."

Rei swallowed hard as Minako brushed past her, her sweet scent filling her nostrils. She called to her one last time before she took her leave. "Why did you do all that earlier?" she asked. "Why did you defend me when you weren't even sure yourself I was telling the truth?"

Minako craned her head back to meet her dark eyes. "You saved my life, figured I'd save yours," her light blue eyes softened. "Thank you… by the way. I won't forget it."

Before Rei could even process the genuine gratitude from the blonde, she had already made her exit. Rei stood in her room slightly daunted, ignoring the small smile that settled on her lips and the fact that the princess was the cause of it being there.

* * *

A/N: Woo! They're friends...ish. Don't worry, we're pretty much past the antagonizing!reinako part of the story so it'll be mostly ~feels~ regarding their relationship from here on out. The main plot is also basically set in motion too, so yay for development! Man, getting the first few chapters going is always so slow, am I right?

Thanks for all your follows/favorites!


	7. Chapter 6

_Her bone structure screams_

 _"_ _Touch her! Touch her!"_

 _And she's got the curse of curves_

 _So with the combination of my gift of one liners_

 _And my way, my way with words._

" _Curse of Curves_ " - Cute is What We Aim For

After the incidents that have occurred the past few weeks, Minako found occupying herself in the garden to be a calming activity. She needed an outlet these days, for each one that passed things only seemed to get worse. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread inside her, so she decided distraction was the next suitable option. And for the most part, it seemed to work.

Tending to the flowers allowed the princess to focus on lives other than her own, albeit trivial ones. They were still beings in their own way who needed just as much care and attention as any human. And from what Minako has learned thus far, it's that every life is important, no matter how small. It gave her a sense of purpose.

The sound of someone approaching caused the blonde to cease watering the last row of roses and turn to face the incomer. She offered her best fake smile at the Venusian soldier.

"Yes?" she asked as the man stopped a few feet away from her.

"Princess Minako, Queen Aphrodite has requested to speak with you in the throne room," the young guard informed, earning a slightly puzzled look from his superior.

"My mother?"

"Yes, your grace."

Minako relented, placing the watering can down on the ground beside her. "Very well."

The soldier guided her down the narrowing halls of the palace, stopping only when they arrived in front of the gold, embellished doors of the chamber.

Minako tossed him a wary look before pushing the heavy doors open and stepping inside the room. There her mother sat atop her throne, watching her only daughter make her way down the carpet floor.

The younger of the Venusians curtsied respectfully as she stood before the queen. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, thank you for arriving so promptly," Aphrodite said earnestly. "I'm afraid this conversation is overdue; I wanted to speak with you yesterday, but I couldn't get out of my own conference in time to go see you. I'm overjoyed that you were able to make it back to me safely. I was terrified when I heard Io was invaded while you were there."

"As was I, mother," Minako replied. "Luckily Rei was there to get me out unscathed."

"That's wonderful, she is a strong asset here," Aphrodite said appraisingly.

"Yes," she agreed, a small, distant smile forming on her lips.

The queen rose from her seat and walked down the few stairs as she spoke. "I'm concerned with… other matters that occurred on Jupiter as well," she stopped until she was a few feet away from the blonde. Minako bit her lip in preparation, knowing very well what her mother was about to address. "We need to discuss the marriage contract."

Minako straightened up, the revival of the topic rousing resentment toward her advisor in her gut. "What of it?"

Aphrodite sighed lightly and placed her hands on her shoulders comfortingly. "I need you to complete the documents."

The princess' cerulean eyes flashed with anger. "You _want_ me to go through with the marriage?! Mother, Venusians have the freedom of choosing their own partners! That's how it's always been!"

"In any other circumstance, that would be the case, but in order to ensure military protection, you have to marry the Jovian Princess," Aphrodite attempted to reason with her. "As future heir to the throne, it is also your job to make the best decisions for you and your people. Sometimes sacrifices must be made."

Minako indignantly shook off her mother's embrace. "This isn't fair! No other Venusian successors were put through this. Why am I the one who can't marry whomever I choose?"

"Because this is a time of war, Minako!" Aphrodite cried, no longer upholding her cool demeanor. "Don't you see? We _need_ military aid; combat is our weakness. Venusians aren't renowned for their warfare tactics, but if we team up with a planet that is then we may stand a chance against the invaders."

Minako shook her head, voice thick with tears that threatened to fall. "You can't make me do this."

"You're being selfish," the queen reprimanded. "For once stop thinking of your own benefits and start thinking about others."

The young blonde turned away sourly, not wanting her mother to see her getting upset. Aphrodite released a calming sigh.

"I'll give you some time to think about it."

Minako swallowed her tears in order to speak. "That doesn't seem necessary," she started bitterly. "It seems a decision has already been made for me."

Aphrodite said no more as she watched her daughter storm out of the room.

* * *

Minako's door slammed shut with a deafening boom.

She placed her hands over her head as she paced the floor, trying everything in her power to stop the oncoming tears, but to no avail. She was overwhelmed. She was angry. But most of all, she was _scared_. How could her mother so easily demand such a life-altering task from her? Growing up, Minako was taught the value of finding a life-long partner and marrying for her own true happiness; something Venusians in particular favor. Was she just to disregard all of that and marry to appease a contract instead? To help protect her people?

Her mind wandered back to the meeting a week ago when Artemis addressed the alliances. Each planet was supposed to provide something unique to its own culture; something they value above all else. For Mars, it was weaponry for a planet that favors strength. Mercury and its people were renowned for their intelligence, thus providing advanced technology unknown to most planets save for the Moon. Jupiter had special herbs and heavy gear to emphasize resiliency, and Venus… well, Venusians highlight love as their most prized possession. They had nothing to offer except her hand in marriage—the embodiment of love itself. The realization caused another sob to escape her lips. There truly was no way out of this.

The sudden knock on the door caused the princess to gasp at its abruptness. She roughly wiped her eyes and composed herself enough to answer it, finding her Martian soldier on the other side. Truth be told, the Venusian wasn't surprised, for Rei has been doing check-ups on her since they arrived back from Jupiter. She wondered if it had anything to do with the incident that occurred and if she's become more cautious of her wellbeing. It oddly made the blonde feel more secure amidst all the threats.

Minako plastered on the best fake smile she could muster. "Yes?"

"I heard the door slam. I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Rei answered, eyeing her warily. She wasn't convinced by her chipper display.

"Oh, well I'm fine. But thank you for your concern."

Rei narrowed her eyes at the woman before her. "You're lying."

Minako gnawed inside her cheek, mostly in attempt to suppress more tears but also in annoyance at the Martian's intuitiveness. "I said I'm fine, so if you don't mind, I would like to be alone…" She started to shut the door but Rei's boot on the fine wood suppressed her from doing so.

"Minako," her voice was soft— _too_ soft for a Martian's customary gruffness. Minako didn't meet her gaze.

Rei readied to speak further, but the gentle utter of her name was all it took to break the spell. Before either pair knew it, tears were streaming down the shorter woman's face once more. She cupped a hand over her mouth to suppress oncoming hysterics, but she was so _vulnerable_ at the moment, and she shot her pride to hell exposing herself in this way to Rei, but she didn't care. She was tired of holding it all in.

Expecting the reaction from the princess, Rei quickly moved in and closed the door, enveloping her small frame in her strong arms somewhat awkwardly. She wasn't entire sure how to handle the breakdown, mostly because she rarely ever even dealt with her own emotions let alone someone else's. She acted on instinct, though. Lately the Venusian's wellbeing has been her only concern; she was warming up to her whether she liked it or not.

Minako pressed her forehead to the soldier's shoulder. "I don't know what I'm d—doing," she said between sobs. "I don't want to d—disappoint everyone but I'm so s—scared. What will people think if I don't complete the c—contract?"

"You're not going to disappoint anyone," Rei reassured the distraught blonde, holding her closer. "You're just overwhelmed right now."

"I c—can't do it."

"Yes, you can."

Minako's lower lip trembled as she took in some deep breaths to soothe her erratic heartbeat. For a moment or so, neither moved. Rei stood with her arms still around the princess while Minako relished in the touch. She couldn't fathom how someone who favored bloodshed over emotion was consoling her, and that she was _letting_ her. She couldn't help but think how much their relationship has grown in only a few short weeks.

Perhaps Rei was different after all.

Perhaps it wasn't her vulnerability that made it so easy to open up to her.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Minako finally peeled herself away from the dark haired woman, sheepishly meeting her pair of amethyst. She sniffled a little and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Rei said fervently. Minako detected a slight tremor in her tone, wondering if, despite her reassurance, she was uncomfortable from the outburst. The princess suddenly felt qualm for reacting the way she did, though, Rei wasn't an easy person to read, which made her feeling on the matter hard to decipher.

Minako tucked a lock of golden hair behind her ear. Her vision was still blurred from tears. "I think… I just want to rest for a while."

"Okay," Rei murmured before slipping her arms back down to her side. Minako oddly missed the warmth, though, she couldn't fathom why. Ever since Rei saved her life, the blonde's perception of the raven haired woman morphed into one of admiration rather than aberrance. She had proved that she was willing to risk her own life in order to save hers; in some ways, she reminded the princess of Daichi.

The Venusian offered a small reassuring smile as Rei took a few steps back toward the doorway, watching as the door finally closed before her, effectively separating them for the afternoon.

* * *

The next time they saw each other was at dinner.

The Martian arrived promptly at Minako's door at the usual hour, maintaining her duty in accompanying her down to the dining vicinity. When she knocked on her door to retrieve her, she was happy to see the blonde smile, albeit a small one. She was in a much better state than she was a few hours ago, though, it was evident that she was still hurting inside.

The walk was seemingly quiet, and Minako wondered if she was right about Rei being uncomfortable earlier. She bit her lip, wanting to say something but Rei beat her to it before she could open her mouth.

"Are you doing alright?" she chanced a glance beside her, but Minako wasn't looking at her.

"I'm better," the Venusian replied, nervously tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "I'm really sorry for reacting like that in front of you, it's just—I was upset, and you were there—"

Rei stopped walking and turned to the frazzled blonde. "I need you to stop worrying about that," she said sternly. "I came to you willingly because I knew you were upset. Did you really expect me to hear you cry and _not_ do anything about it?"

Minako's brow creased together at the words. "You… heard me crying?"

Rei averted her gaze, inwardly cursing herself at the slip. "The walls aren't very thick."

The princess felt her face redden. "Oh."

"My point is," Rei started up, fierce gaze meeting Minako's. "My obligation to you isn't just to ensure your physical safety; it's to ensure _every_ aspect of you is alright. That's why I need you to trust me and to not be afraid to react how you did earlier to me. I only want to help."

Minako swallowed thickly, stomach fluttering at the Martian's words of enlightenment. She offered a small nod, still slightly dazed by the usually stoic woman's heartwarming reassurance. "Okay," she uttered, but found herself grinning wryly. "You know, for a barbarian, you're quite the softie."

Rei sneered and turned away from her playful features. "Shut up," and with that, she continued down the hall. Minako absently smiled as she followed alongside her.

Dinner had commenced as usual, and the mindless chatter amongst the people of the court allowed Minako to forget about her worries for a while. It was only when Artemis approached her toward the end of the meal did the princess' rising enthusiasm deflate, and she was yet again reminded of just how much she was hurting.

"Minako, could I speak with you for a moment?" he asked. Minako glowered as Rei carefully watched their interaction.

"I told you I don't want you near me. I have nothing to say to you," she replied indignantly.

"You don't have to say anything, I just need you to listen," the advisor assured. "It won't take long."

After a few seconds of consideration, Minako reluctantly complied and rose from her seat. "Make it quick," at the sight of Rei readying to follow suit, the princess was quick to ease her worries. "I'll be fine. Just wait to walk me back." Rei only nodded, watching as they retreated to the far end of the dining area.

"What is it?" she demanded. Artemis nearly winced at her tone.

"I wanted you to know that I'm trying to pull some strings with the Jovian ambassadors to get you out of the marriage contract," he spoke quickly. "I have been in contact with Souji; he said he will do his best to figure out another way, but… it may take a while."

Minako scoffed while Artemis' brow knitted together, expecting anything but such a reaction from the princess. "Don't you get it? It's futile. We have nothing of importance to solidify the contract with besides my hand in marriage. We don't have a powerful army or weapons sufficient enough for trade. We only have _me_ ," she stressed, jabbing a finger to her chest. "Souji is all talk. He knows just as well as I do that there's no way to get out of this; he just likes that he has me under his thumb with this contract."

"That's not true," Artemis argued.

"Really? Then is it also not true that you are merely doing this for the gratification of appeasing me?" she challenged.

" _No_ , Minako," Artemis stressed as an attempt for the head-strong woman to see reason. "I don't want to see you so hurt; I want to fix this for you."

The princess frowned, the advisor's words swaying her by no means. "You're too late."

She then retreated, allotting no time for the Lunarian to formulate a response. He sighed, knowing the stubborn woman was far too indignant toward him to listen.

* * *

"What did Artemis want?" Rei asked hesitantly, careful not to crowd the already flared woman with questions. The pair left the dining area almost immediately after the advisor spoke to Minako, and they began their short trek back to her room. The Venusian had been relatively quiet on the subject of the Lunarian, and Rei wondered if by him speaking to her he only made the situation worse between them.

Minako glanced at Rei and shrugged before answering. "He claims that he's trying to find a way to get me out of the marriage contract, but I don't believe anything can be changed at this point. If he truly wanted to help me, he would have tried to get me out of being betrothed the moment he knew about it."

"It's only natural that he feels guilty," Rei said. "But does that mean you are going to marry the Jovian Princess?"

Minako sighed, eyes casting solemnly to the floor. "I don't know. It seems at this point I have only one choice."

Rei caught the hint of bitterness in her tone. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she insisted. "I mean, it's not like I'm in love with anyone else, so…"

The Martian glanced her way and found the other woman peering around the palace as they made their way down the hall, as if purposely avoiding her gaze. She wondered why she distracted herself in that way.

The pair made it to the princess' door. An awkward silence filled the air. Rei cleared her throat.

"Well, I suppose that's it for the night, unless you need anything else."

Minako remained quiet, biting her lip thoughtfully. Rei's dark eyes shifted.

"Is… there something else you need?" she offered given the blonde's silence from her prior statement.

Minako shook back to life. "Oh! Um… well, no," a pregnant pause. "Actually—I mean, you don't _have_ to, it's just a suggestion, but… It's just, I still feel vulnerable ever since the ambush on Jupiter, and I would feel much more comfortable if you were to accompany me in my chambers for the night."

Rei's unveiled perplexity at the words didn't go past the Venusian. She tripped on her own response, shooting her usually collected disposition to hell while Minako stared at her with imploring eyes. After a moment of thought, Rei cleared her throat, composing herself after the princess' abrupt request.

"I… suppose it won't be a problem."

Hearing this, Minako flashed a perfect smile at the slightly disgruntled Martian and in her eagerness, took one of Rei's cool hands in her own. The touch felt foreign to the warrior.

"Good, good! Now, let's go inside," The hand that wasn't occupied by Rei's rather hesitant touch opened the door. The dimensions of the room caused Rei's mouth to hang ajar slightly, for its size could easily fit half of the Venusian army. Nearly every corner was furnished beautifully, though, Rei expected nothing less from the princess. Minako's tug on her hand snapped her from her gawking as she ushered her away from the doorframe before releasing her hold.

"This is…" Rei murmured, trailing off distractedly.

"I know," Minako hummed, moving over to her closet. "It's quite roomy, isn't it?"

Rei scoffed. "That's quite the understatement."

"Touché," she replied while sliding off her dress casually, back facing the Martian. Rei watched as light, creamy skin came into view while her dark eyes followed the dress until it pooled around her feet on the floor. She blinked out of her trance, and, realizing she was blatantly staring at her perfect figure, was quick to turn around to grant the blonde some privacy, but the tug inside her gut told her that wasn't her intention. Knowing the Venusian's complacency, it was likely she did it purposely. Rei felt heat rise to her face at the thought. She suddenly felt like her being here wasn't a good idea.

Minako slipped on a nightdress and pivoted to face the soldier, only to find her staring intently at the door from which she came from. Minako rose a thin brow, though, the Martian couldn't see.

"What's wrong?" she asked, truly bemused by her stiff display.

For a second time in the past ten minutes, Rei struggled to answer Minako. She sighed, coolly running a hand through her raven tresses. "You were undressing."

"Yes?"

Rei rolled her eyes and replied hotly, "So I didn't want to look."

"Why would you not want to look?" Minako asked. "Am I that hideous that you must find some sense of appeal in the doorframe?"

"That's not it. I just wanted to be… courteous," Rei defended, cheeks as fiery red as her getup. Minako found a smirk creeping its way to her lips at the other woman's flustered disposition.

"Well, thank you for being respectful, but you can turn around now unless you _truly_ admire that door," she giggled lightly as Rei's pink-tinted face slowly turned back to meet the blonde's shit-eating grin.

She narrowed her eyes. "Very funny. I wonder if you ever teased your former guard this way."

At the mention of Daichi, Minako's playful grin faltered and she looked down at her fingers. "Sometimes."

"Did you two…" Rei started, earning Minako's attention once more. "I mean, were you two…"

"Lovers?" Minako finished while Rei fell silent. She couldn't help but smirk a little at the Martian's hesitance on the subject. "No, we weren't. That's not to say that I loved him any less. Daichi was more like a brother to me."

Rei nodded in comprehension. Minako's coy smirk didn't fall. "Why so curious to know?" Rei only shrugged, not fazed by her flirtatious wit. Minako sighed before making herself comfortable on the vast bed. "Well, what about you? Have any Martian lovers you're just dying to gush about?"

"No," the warrior stated curtly.

Minako rose an interesting brow, upholding her smug smile. "What, is no one good enough for the mighty Rei?"

Rei folded her arms in front of her. "That has nothing to do with it."

She pouted at the retort. "Is it because of your upbringings? You know, Martian's aren't all that great with the concept of love…"

"We _can_ love," Rei was quick to counter. "If it's the right person—and we know when it is—then it _is_ an easy concept. We love fiercely and passionately. We love by protecting and fighting for those we deem are worthy. We love in ways beyond the traditional sense, beyond the physical. We overflow with love at times that it's hard for anyone to handle."

Minako swallowed thickly as Rei's eyes stared off distantly out the adjacent window, her words sending her in a trance-like state. Her response brought the Martian back to reality. "I'm sure I could handle it."

Rei expected the haughty smirk from the blonde that she had been wearing most of the night when she turned to look at her, but instead found her features to be completely resolved. The soldier's small grin could be seen even in the ill-lighted room.

"I guess you'd have to find out."

Minako couldn't suppress the shiver that shot down her back at the statement. Rei was staring at her and the blonde found herself boldly meeting her intimidating yet captivating amethyst. Her shoulders rose in a casual shrug as she maintained her cool disposition. "Perhaps you'll find someone soon to share that with."

Rei dismissed the notion with a snort and an eye roll, and Minako felt a twinge in her heart at the reaction, though, she wasn't entirely sure why.

"Anyway, I suppose we should try to get some sleep," Minako advised. Rei was grateful the topic finally averted. "The bed is perfectly big enough to fit the two of us…" Seeing her wide, violet eyes shoot up to meet her pools of cerulean at the suggestion, Minako continued with the other proposal. "…Or, there's a couch just in the other room which is quite a suitable place to sleep."

"Fine, I'll be there if you need me," Rei said hastily, already starting her retreat. Her movements ceased when the princess called out to her.

"Thank you for staying," Minako murmured earnestly, which Rei replied with a deferential nod. She watched her figure until it disappeared behind the door, placing a hand over her forehead and biting her lip. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears.

" _Why am I feeling this way_?" she mused, feeling the same flutter in her heart as she did prior.

Unbeknownst to her, just beyond the door, Rei was wondering the same thing.

* * *

A/N: Don't really like this chapter that much or Rei's characterization but... meh. Let me know what you think. Classes have started for me, so good luck to anyone else who has started school!


	8. Chapter 7

_And these fingertips_

 _will never run through your skin_

 _And those bright blue eyes_

 _can only meet mine across a room_

 _filled with people that are less important than you._

"Love Love Love" - Of Monsters and Men

Rei jolted upright at the incessant pounding against her door.

She almost instinctively reached for her sword that rested at her bedside, but released the tension she felt when a familiar voice came through the other side.

" _Reeeeiiiii_! Rise and shine!" Minako said in a sing-song voice as she continued to knock. "Don't keep me waiting."

Rei sighed and made her way out of the warm confines of her bed to answer the door. There, waiting expectantly, was no other than the Venusian princess. Rei met her beaming face with a disgruntled look of her own.

"Why in the name of all the gods are you up so early?" she demanded, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Minako pouted and placed her hands on her hips disapprovingly. "Is that how you address someone on their birthday?"

Rei blinked rapidly. "It's your birthday?"

"Maa, you sure are dense," Minako chided. "Why else would I be so excited? I'm twenty-one now! I'm older than you, which means I can boss you around as much as I want and you can't say otherwise."

"You already do that," Rei deadpanned.

Minako made a poor attempt at hiding a smug grin. "I suppose that's true."

"Is that all you came to gloat about?" Rei asked, stifling a yawn.

"Actually, I came to tell you that I have the perfect present for you to give me," she said eagerly while Rei rose a dark brow and opened her mouth to question the statement, but was quickly silenced by the blonde once more. "Come to the training field in fifteen minutes, okay?"

Before the warrior could even supply an answer, the blonde had already turned around and was making her way back down the hall.

* * *

"You want me to _what_?"

Minako huffed and folded her arms in front of her. "You know what I said."

"Minako, I'm not teaching you how to fight," Rei said sternly.

"I just want to know some basic swordplay," the persistent princess continued. "I've lived through twenty-one years of my life not knowing how to wield a sword. With everything going on, shouldn't I know how to defend myself if need be?"

The Martian was ready with a comeback. "That's why Artemis recruited _me_. It's my job to protect you so you don't have to be concerned about that."

"Well, what if you're not around when something happens? You can't possibly always be with me, Rei, or at least close enough to get to me in time," Minako countered, straightening up to show she had the upper-hand against the other woman in the conversation. Given Rei's silence, it appeared that she did.

"Fine," she relented, and Minako grinned toothily. "But don't blame me if this goes horribly."

Minako waved a dismissive hand while Rei went to retrieve two swords from the adjacent stockpile. She carefully held the blade so that the pommel was facing the Venusian so she could properly wield it. Minako gingerly took it from the warrior and she was surprised by its heavy weight, for watching Rei train those few times made it look so effortless.

"So to begin, you always have to keep the sword at arm's length. It's not just for safety reasons, but it's also to tell your opponent that you are ready and willing to fight," Rei instructed, and Minako did as she was told. "Make sure your dominant hand is at the top of the pommel."

Minako adjusted her position. "Okay, now what?"

"Make sure to maintain good posture. Straighten your back and never, _ever_ take your eyes off your opponent," Rei stressed. "This allows you to assess your next move. If there's an opening, take it, but don't just charge recklessly. Everything you do has to be carefully thought through."

"Right, okay," the blonde nodded in comprehension. "Eyes on opponent, check."

Rei held up her own weapon. "I'm going to come at you; try to block my movements."

With a swift nod signaling her readiness, the Martian swung her sword up to the princess' left, then down to her lower right, and each time Minako was able to successfully counter her swipes. Rei nodded appraisingly.

"Good. Now I want _you_ to come at _me_ ," she crouched into position as Minako let out a calming breath before making an attempt to swing at the soldier. Each one was easily dismissed by Rei, and every strike caused a grunt of frustration to escape the Venusian's lips until she finally ceased her movements.

Rei shook her head disapprovingly. "You need to relax. I can practically feel the tension in your sword," she placed the sword back in the sheath that rested against her hip and made her way over to the slightly perturbed blonde. Her hands came up to rest on her arms, and surprised cerulean eyes snapped up to meet her cool pair of amethyst. They then found their way down to her own pair of hands as they held onto the grip.

"You're holding on too tightly," Rei commented, using her fingers to gently coax Minako's firm grasp. "If you're too tight, you won't be able to move quickly. The movement is all in the wrist; loosen them. Speed is just as important in a fight as strength is."

Minako swallowed thickly as a light blush dusted her cheeks. "Ah… okay, got it."

The contact between their digits dropped once Rei removed her hands to retrieve her sword once more. Minako openly slumped at the loss of the touch.

"Try again," Rei ordered, and Minako heeded her words and allowed her body to relax before coming at the other woman. The first few strikes were successful, but Rei's counter on the last one caused the Venusian's sword to clatter to the ground. Minako huffed in exasperation, glaring daggers at the fallen weapon.

Rei couldn't help but smirk at her outward irritation. "Now you're _too_ relaxed."

She threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Gods on high, Rei, what am I supposed to do, then?"

Rei strode over to pick up the neglected sword. "You're not going to become a master after one session, Minako. It takes years of practice."

Minako pouted. "Well, it's not fair. How did you become so good?"

The warrior shrugged nonchalantly, distractedly dusting off the blade. "I grew up around soldiers, so I guess I couldn't really help learning how to fight."

"You grew up with soldiers? What do you mean?" Minako asked, confusion written all over her features.

Rei's hesitation on the subject didn't go past the attentive princess, but she answered her truthfully. "I used to live in Pylos with an older couple until I was fifteen, but once they found out about my sixth sense, they believed me to be cursed and wanted nothing to do with me. I left and found myself near Phobos Deimos watching the Martian army train each day. One night the commander noticed me and I told him I had nowhere to go. So, he offered me a place in the palace so long as I grew up to be part of the army once I came of age. I took the deal."

"Oh, Rei… I'm so sorry that happened to you," Minako murmured. The Martian didn't meet her gaze. "But… what happened to your parents?"

Minako knew the topic was a touchy one, considering how reserved the Martian tended to be. She hoped she wasn't over-stepping her boundaries. Still, Rei felt at this point Minako deserved to know, especially if she intended on staying with her for a while.

"I don't know who my father is, and my mother died when I was a child," she confessed, staring straight ahead in order to avoid the princess' solemn gaze.

Minako chewed her bottom lip, sympathy welling in her gut. She wondered if this was the reason why Rei was so quick to distance herself around others. Her life was filled with constant betrayal, her only source of comfort being the sounds of clashing swords and the battle cries of army men.

If Minako had known all of this before they met, she wouldn't have been so crude to her in the beginning stages of their relationship. Of course, the last thing Minako knew Rei wanted was sympathy, but she felt guilty for being so indifferent simply because Rei was a Martian. It showed the princess just how little you know about someone until you dig a little deeper and remove the many layers of masks. It certainly puts things into perspective.

Yet there she was, crying over a simple marriage contract when people like Rei suffer every day from their past.

She hated herself.

Rei glanced at Minako as she silently contemplated her story, eyes cast downward solemnly. She cleared her throat. "But, y'know, I don't really regret any of it. In fact, I'm grateful that it happened. It made me stronger and more independent," she shrugged. "And who knows, if it weren't for everything that happened, I probably wouldn't have come here."

"That doesn't change the fact that you're hurting from it," Minako said in response to her positive spin on the subject.

"I'm not hurting," Rei defended. "I've had a lot of time to get over it. What's done is done."

"Well, I don't accept that."

"That makes one of us, then."

Minako huffed at the Martian's relentless indignation on the matter while Rei held up the sword that the princess abandoned a few minutes ago in attempt to veer the topic.

"Want to try again?" she offered.

Minako eyed the weapon for a moment before shaking her head. "I think I've had enough for today. Besides, I'm not sure swordplay is quite the skill for me."

"Touché," Rei replied with a chuckle, which the blonde shot an icy look at her for. "Perhaps you should just leave the fighting to me."

Minako waved a finger in front of the warrior. "Just watch; one of these days it'll be _me_ saving your ass."

"Well, princess," Rei started smugly, "there would have to be _quite_ the predicament for that to happen."

* * *

Minako returned to her room hours later, hands gripping onto several bags of clothes as she struggled to open the door. After attempting to train with Rei in the field, the princess decided that shopping would be a more appropriate activity for her seeing as there are no weapons involved, and Rei readily agreed. Though, once the blonde began her shopping escapade in the city, Rei was the one to carry all the bags after each purchase and scowl at passerby's who dared guffaw at her. The Martian had suddenly wished to be back at the training grounds with the princess rather than out in public.

Minako huffed as she dropped the bags beside her bed and collapsed onto the mattress. Her mind began to wander back to the conversation she and Rei had out on the field, and an overwhelming desire to help her filled her inside. Being a Venusian, Minako was naturally attune to other's emotions, and the mention of her past caused Rei to exude such intense feelings of hurt and betrayal that the princess nearly felt dizzy. Rei may not want to admit it, but she does have these feelings whether she realizes it or not; it's only natural for someone who has gone through what she has to harbor them.

The knocks on her door snapped Minako from her musings, and instead of getting up to answer it, she granted the person access inside the room. When the princess looked up to see who it was, she was met with the dark blue eyes of her advisor. Minako remained stoic in his presence.

"Good evening," he smiled hesitantly, one hand closing the door behind him while the other occupied a box. Minako eyed it as he stepped inside. "I was hoping to find you before the dinner party; I know how busy you must be. I wanted to give this to you."

He extended the bulky cardboard out to her and Minako retrieved it reluctantly.

"What is this?" she asked, untying the silver ribbon around its exterior.

"It's a present, of course," Artemis replied, watching her open it up.

She carefully removed the cover and pulled out a beautifully embellished off-white gown. Minako held it up for a moment to examine it before offering a nod and a small smile.

"It's lovely, thank you," she said sincerely, gently placing it back in its box so as to not wrinkle it.

He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I uh… wanted to get you something to wear tonight, but it seems you might already have that covered," he said, glancing at the half-dozen bags adjacent to him.

Minako chuckled. "I do have a lot of options, but I think this one is a nice contender."

"I'm glad you like it," Artemis said, smile suddenly slipping. "Listen, Minako—"

"I know what you're going to say," the princess interrupted, holding up a hand to silence him. The Lunarian's mouth slowly closed at her words. "I have… more or less accepted the fact that I am to be married to the Jovian princess, and quite frankly I am tired of this dispute between us. I understand that it might've been difficult for you to tell me something like that, so for that I forgive you. On the other hand, I'm not sure when I'll be able to trust you again due to your dishonesty. I suppose you'll just have to show me."

Artemis' slight disappointment on her response was evident, but he nodded in comprehension. "I understand. Thank you for forgiving me. I assure you, I will do everything I can to earn your undying trust in me again," he offered a small bow before he readied himself to take his leave. He turned to her one final time.

"Happy birthday, Minako."

The door's closing hinge echoed in the room.

* * *

"Well, how do I look?"

Minako turned around to face Rei after examining herself for what seemed like the hundredth time in the mirror. The Martian's eyes trailed along her figure as she absorbed every curve of her body. She was well aware that Minako asking about her appearance was her way of gaining her attention… which, the warrior had to admit, was quite successful. The woman wasn't easy to not gawk at, especially in her current choice of attire.

She cleared her throat and snapped herself from her semi-trance. "You… look like you're ready for a party," she supplied. Minako smirked as Rei ran a hand through her hair to show off her cool demeanor. "Though, I see you're not wearing any of the dresses you bought in town today."

Minako felt out the wrinkles in the gown. "Yes, well… this one is from Artemis, actually."

Rei didn't hide her confusion. "You're talking to him again?"

"Yes… sort of."

She snorted. "What, he buys you a new dress and you forgive him?" she was met with Minako's piercing glare. Rei didn't so much as flinch.

"I forgave him and will allow him to continue to do his job, but that doesn't mean that I trust him," the princess said, peering in the mirror once more to fix her bangs. "He has to earn it."

The soldier rose a dark, playful brow. "But if he _didn't_ have the dress, you wouldn't have forgave him, right?"

The Martian was met with a light whack on the arm from the blonde. "Shut up and take me to my party."

Rei hid a grin as she led the vexed princess down the hall.

* * *

The princess was greeted with a large banquet and live music in her honor.

Minako was easily the center of attention—more so than any other night, which the blonde simply thrived in. Rei lost count at how many people approached her, kissed her hand, or curtsied formally at her. Each time Minako would nod gracefully or flash a brilliant smile. Surely after so many people, Minako's grins became halfhearted and her gestures forced in order to maintain her respectful demeanor. The Martian wondered how she even managed to fake it so convincingly.

There was a particular guest that caused the Venusian to suddenly straighten up in her seat, in turn causing Rei to raise a curious brow at her actions. A tall, thin man appeared before the princess, his light blonde hair a perfect shade of gold. He bore the Venusian crest on his armored chest, and a small smirk quirked one side of his lip upward. To anyone else, he was a stunningly handsome young man—any woman would be lucky to have his hand. Rei, though, didn't so much as bat an eye at his suave display.

On the contrary, Minako had a broad smile plastered on her lips—not the convincingly fake one she had been sporting for the last twenty minutes, but a _genuine_ one. Rei swore she saw a shade of pink tint her cheeks.

" _Pretty boy_ ," she spat inwardly, subtly scowling when he took Minako's hand in his.

"Princess," he greeted, laying a gentle kiss on the top of her palm.

"Adonis," Minako swooned, slowly bringing her slightly clammy hand back down to her lap. "I'm pleased to see that you made it."

He flashed a charming smile. "I wouldn't have missed it."

Minako seemed to be in a trance as she stared into his enticing blue orbs, only she rouse back to life at the sound of Rei clearing her throat.

"Um, Adonis, this is Mars Rei. She came here to succeed Daichi as my protector," Minako informed as his eyes trailed to the Martian's stoic features.

He offered a bow at her stiff figure. "It's a pleasure, Rei-san. Minako is very lucky to have a Martian warrior such as yourself be her guard."

Rei was ready with a fiery retort. "I suppose she is, seeing as none of the _Venusian_ soldiers were competent enough to take on the job."

Minako caught Adonis' perplexed gaze at the raven haired woman's jab, and she was quick to avert the topic before he inquired further about it. "Speaking of the army, what is the status with the new recruits?"

"They're being put under rigorous training," Adonis replied. Rei snorted.

"Are you training them?" Minako asked, pointedly ignoring the warrior's reaction.

Adonis' eyes fell to the table, avoiding the princess' gaze. The action caused her brow to crease in concern. "Actually, I have been meaning to tell you, but… I have been recruited to join the army on the Moon. Few soldiers on each planet were selected a couple weeks ago. It appears that Queen Serenity is seeking out the most capable in order to strengthen her army. It makes sense that they would desire better protection, seeing as the moon dynasty harbors the most powerful people. The threats must be worsening if even the peacemakers of the solar system are preparing for war."

Minako cupped a hand over her mouth. "I… had no idea. When do you leave?"

"Soon," was all he said. He finally peered up to meet her somber pairs of cerulean, reaching to place his gloved palm over her flushed cheek. Rei stirred in her seat. "This is a good thing, princess. My skills are being used to protect precious lives now more than ever. You should be happy."

Minako nodded, smiling as she did so. "I am."

"Good," he chuckled lightly and placed his hand back down to his side. "I hope to see you again before my travels to the Moon."

Minako blinked rapidly, trying to process his words after his gentle touch. "Y-Yes, of course."

He bowed formally. "Happy birthday, princess," he supplied a nod toward the sneering Martian. "Rei-san."

Minako watched his perfectly structured frame get lost in the crowd before turning to meet Rei's seemingly disgruntled features. She folded her arms in front of her disapprovingly while the other woman was too engrossed in narrowing her eyes in the direction Adonis left from to notice her irked display.

"What was that about?" Minako demanded.

Hearing her voice, Rei's fierce gaze snapped to the rather appalled blonde. "What?"

"You were getting all huffy back there," she observed.

Rei shrugged dismissively. "I just didn't like him."

A thought suddenly infiltrated Minako's mind, and her heart skipped a beat at its possibility. _Could it be she was… jealous_? "If you insist," she said, casually brushing off the fleeting thought. She stood from her seat. "I'm going to go mingle for a bit. I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Fine," Rei muttered, still peeved by the Venusian soldier's appearance. Minako mashed her lips together to suppress a grin from curling on her lips as she began her rounds in the dining area.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Rei was still stationed at the table that Minako claimed she would be back at. She scowled, trying to seek out the blonde in the midst of the crowd, which, after over an hour, was still just as congested as it was at the beginning of the celebration.

Rei rose from her seat, finding it futile to search for the princess from her sitting position. Just as she was about to leave to hunt her down, she suddenly heard the woman in question's distinguishable voice amidst the murmurs of the hordes of people.

" _Reeeeiiiii_!" she called out, effectively causing the Martian to turn to face her. Rei sighed—more in relief than annoyance—at the sight of Minako.

"What took you so long? I was just about to go look for you," she reprimanded as the blonde peered up to meet her gaze, waving a dismissive hand in front of her face.

"You need to stop-" -hiccup- "-worrying so much, Rei- _ko_. It's a party; you're off duty. _Relaaaaaax_."

Rei's brows creased at her slurred, garbled speech. "Minako, what are you—"

" _Shhhhh_!" the blonde hissed, placing her index finger over the raven haired woman's lips to silence her. "Don't ask questions. Let's go dance."

Minako tugged at her arm, but the blonde was held back as Rei grabbed her with her free hand to cease her strides. "Minako, are you drunk?"

"Oh you know, I just had a cocktail here, some wine there… but I _do_ believe drunk is quite a strong word. I'm just… a little tipsy. Look, I can even stand by myself," she said triumphantly as she stood upright, only to wobble and grasp the other woman to steady herself. She barked out a laugh. "Whoa! I should try that without heels… or maybe when the room stops spinning."

"Fuck," Rei cursed, holding onto her firmly but gently. "I'm taking you back."

" _Noooooo_!" Minako whined. "The party isn't over yet!"

Rei cringed at the proximity of her voice to her ear. "It's over for you. It's late, anyway."

The warrior led a very displeased Minako out of the dining area and down the hall discreetly so that no one would notice her current state. The blonde practically clung to Rei for support despite her speech on how she was only "a little tipsy"; it was evident she bit off more than she could chew.

Finally making it to the princess' door, Rei supported her with one arm while the other pushed open the door. Minako stumbled inside while Rei kicked the door shut with her foot. When she turned around to get a look at the raven haired woman, she burst into a fit of laughter. Rei scoffed and furrowed her brow.

" _What_ is so funny?" she asked as Minako hobbled over to her.

She let out some more chuckles before lifting up a hand to pinch her cheek. "You're so cute when you're pouty."

Rei scowled and jerked her head away from the touch. "I'm _not_ pouty, I just don't like having to carry your drunken ass everywhere. How could you let yourself get this far gone?"

Minako shrugged. "Can you really blame me?"

Rei rolled her eyes at the words, knowing the blonde was referring to the marriage she was forced into being committed to. "Problems just don't go away if you try to forget about them; you have to deal with them and move on."

"Well, I like my way better," Minako replied defiantly.

"Most people would," Rei muttered.

Minako suddenly grinned, moving back into the Martian. " _Anywayyyy_ , I happen to know the real reason why you're so grumpy this fine evening."

Rei rose a dark brow at the drunken princess' words. "What do you mean?"

Minako giggled and waggled a finger in front of her. "You were jealous of Adonis, weren't you?"

"What?" Rei stammered, trying to sound indignant even as heat rose to her face. She liked to believe it was anger rather than embarrassment that was getting her so roused. "You don't know what you're talking about. I wasn't jealous, I just… don't like him, okay? And I don't care how I present myself to people that I don't like. Unlike you, I don't find satisfaction in appeasing everyone around me."

Minako flailed her arms up. "Fine, you don't have to get all defensive."

She scoffed, running a hand through her dark locks. "I don't even know why I'm trying to reason with you; you're too drunk to even remotely comprehend anything."

"Mmmm," the blonde murmured distractedly as she fumbled with her dress' zipper on her back, effectively proving Rei's point. She groaned. "I can't unzip this," she craned her head to peer over her shoulder where the Martian stood stiffly, "can you help me?"

Rei's jaw clenched as Minako stared at her through thick lashes, compelling the warrior's feet to move on their own accord toward the other woman. With steady fingers she slowly undid the dress and watched as the smooth skin of her back became exposed to the cool air in the room. She swallowed thickly as the blonde started over to the closet. Rei was impressed by her stability.

"Are you going to turn around again?" she asked suggestively. "Or are you going to look this time?"

Even with Minako's back to her, Rei could still sense her smirking. She was in a similar trance as the first time the Venusian so unabashedly undressed in front of her, and the invitation was somewhat enticing. Still, Rei pushed the thought away and scoffed dismissively before pivoting toward the door defiantly without a word. Minako found the scene quite amusing.

She was changed within moments and Rei suddenly felt her presence behind her then. She turned back around and found the blonde a mere foot away from her, a distant smile on her lips. She was swaying, and Rei placed her hands on either side of her arms to steady her.

"I think you should go to bed," she advised, to which the princess readily disagreed with.

"I'm not tired," she replied with a pout. Rei narrowed her eyes at the cheeky woman.

"Fine, then." With one quick movement, the Martian scooped Minako in her arms. The Venusian let out a surprised yelp at the abruptness as she carried her over to the spacious bed. In the midst of plopping her onto the mattress, however, Rei found herself getting pulled along with Minako due to her hands around the back of her neck which the warrior hadn't realized were there. She ended up above the blonde with her hands still around her, holding her there.

The air was still. Neither pair moved as tension invaded the room. Rei could feel her heartbeat in her ears as she stared at the Venusian below her, and the warm, fluttering sensation she felt in her stomach was quick to travel down to her sensitive area. Minako lifted her head ever-so-slightly and boldly pressed her lips to the side of Rei's mouth, holding it there for a few moments. Rei instinctively slipped her eyes shut at the feeling, and she wondered if the blonde actually meant to kiss her but her inebriated state caused her to miss, or if the damnable woman was just teasing her.

Knowing Minako, it was most likely the latter.

The thought suddenly sparked something within Rei—something animalistic. It was as if her body wasn't her own in that moment and the hunger for desire blinded her next movement. She grabbed a hold of Minako's wrists that were once slunk around her and pinned them to the bed, causing a soft gasp to escape the princess' lips. Arousal pumped through her being as her chest heaved in and out—ready for _her_ lips to be the one to taste the Venusian's—but as amethyst eyes locked with cloudy, distant cerulean, she withheld any such actions. The eyes she was so accustomed to seeing—the ones that gleamed with such life and intensity—could not be attained. It wasn't Minako. She wasn't mentally there.

Gods, what was she _doing_?

Reality crashed down on the Martian then as she came down from her high, quickly removing herself from the other woman and taking several steps away from the bed. Minako sat up to try to meet her gaze in attempt to get some clarity on the situation, but Rei's eyes found the floor to be of more interest.

"Get some sleep," she muttered, and just as she turned to leave, Minako's voice ceased her strides.

"Stay with me," she implored gently, hushed tone barely above a whisper.

Rei considered the entreat for a moment, mind torn between several different outcomes of how the night would end up playing out. Her gut told her otherwise, while her heart…

" _Fuck_ ," she thought bitterly, pushing any feelings for the blonde in that moment away. " _I can't do this._ _I don't deal with emotions_."

Her eyes finally darted up to meet Minako's big, pleading ones. "I'll see you tomorrow when you're sober."

The dismissal caused the Venusian's heart to sink even in her drunken state. She watched as Rei finally took her leave, unable to catch her wince in sympathy at her own acrimonious words before leaving the princess alone for the remainder of the night.

* * *

A/N: Included a PGSM Easter Egg in this one (it's pretty obvious lol). Have a great weekend!


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: So sorry about the delayed update. I'm kind of drowning in school, work, dance, and had a monster sinus infection last week *sigh* It's been a rough couple of weeks. Again, I'll try to keep up with updates as best as I can throughout the year. But, for now, enjoy chapter 8!

* * *

 _So open up my eyes_

 _Tell me I'm alive_

 _This is never going to go our way_

 _If I'm going to have to guess what's on your mind._

"Believe" - Mumford & Sons

Rei scowled as the morning sunlight shinned down on her fully conscious figure, stirring her from her rather unfulfilled night sleep. The sunrise was her signal to commence her morning duties, and on any other day, she would already be up and starting her routines, but the warrior wanted nothing more than to just remain in her room and _not_ have to face a certain princess.

Rei hated it. She hated that she was feeling like this, and for no apparent reason. Nothing even happened between her and Minako, yet the Martian lost a decent amount of sleep last night replaying the situation that almost occurred over again in her mind; the way Minako's lips connected to the side of her own and how she, in turn, reacted by pinning the blonde to the bed, wanting to taste every inch of her body.

Rei shuddered.

What had gotten in to her?

She placed a palm over her forehead, feeling guilt raid her insides. She nearly took advantage of Minako's intoxicated state, shredding any glimmer of trust that was established between them the past few months. Not only that, but Minako was her _superior_ ; the person she swore to protect at all costs. If anything were to have happened last night, Rei's sure there would have been consequences.

Still, Rei wasn't the one who initiated contact between them. It was Minako, after all, who so boldly kissed adjacent to her lips, as if to coax the Martian into the idea.

Yet Rei couldn't help but wonder what the blonde's intention of the gesture was. Surely her drunken state had influenced most of her actions last night, but something inside Rei told her that it was more than that. It was possible Minako truly felt something for her.

The warrior sneered, dismissing the voice in her head that attempted to justify Minako's inebriated actions as genuine. While the princess does unabashedly flirt with her, the soldier takes it with a grain of salt, knowing how she very well isn't the first person to fall victim to the Venusian's flirtatious wit. Her hackles rose at the mere thought of Adonis, one of the soldiers of the palace whom Minako was blatantly swooning over at the party. Though she would refuse to admit it to the complacent princess, Rei _was_ jealous of their interaction, only fueling her confusion further on how she felt about the blonde.

Rei sighed in irritation, knowing the only possible way to understand Minako's feelings—and hers—was to address them, which the Martian wasn't too well known for. She would rather simply push them away, though, it's hard to ignore them when she has to constantly be around the person who causes them.

* * *

Nearly the entirety of the Venusian court was stationed inside the conference room that morning.

Rei's attempt at finally finding some glimmer of motivation to leave her room caused a delay in her arrival to the meeting. She didn't even know what it had been called for, but she didn't receive word of a conference the night prior, leading the intuitive woman to believe that whatever this was about occurred sometime during the night.

Despite her tardiness, the sound of the gentle murmurs of the crowds of people told her it had yet to commence. She wondered, though, what could have possibly happened to provoke such a large amount of delegates. An uneasy feeling suddenly settled in her gut.

As Rei maneuvered her way through the horde carefully, her eyes inevitably met that of the princess', and she stopped in her tracks. The blonde offered a small smile and waited expectantly for her to make her way over to her, but she scowled and pressed on, ensuring that she stayed positioned by the pillar up ahead rather than at the Venusian's side. Minako's grin was replaced with a confused frown, but Artemis' voice averted her attention.

"I'd first like to thank you all for joining me this morning for such an impromptu gathering," he started, voice echoing through the vast room. "Unfortunately, there was an incident on Saturn that occurred hours even before the break of dawn. Opposers invaded the kingdom and succeeded in killing King Cronus' heir, Hotaru. Their army was barely able to flush them out, but when they did, it was… too late. We received word about it early this morning."

The room immediately filled with panicked talk among the councilmen and delegates. Minako brought a hand up to cup over her gaping mouth, too astonished to formulate her own response on the topic.

Rei's gaze fell to the marble floor at the announcement. Hotaru was the youngest planetary heir, making her death a feasible one. For them to have gone after Saturn could mean they're trying to weed out the weakest planets, which may incline their next move to be Venus. Still, why was their first attack on Uranus, a planet whose war combat nearly outshines Mars'? Rei's mind wandered momentarily, but was brought back by Artemis struggling to settle the flustered group.

"I understand your concern. It was a tragic loss, and this only means that these terrorists are growing stronger in number and resilience. I'm afraid that we must be especially cautious these next few weeks. It is no secret that our combat skills aren't the strongest in the solar system. Their next plan may be to come to us," Artemis said, thoughts synchronizing with Rei's.

"Isn't that why the Lunarian government proposed the alliances?" Katashi spoke up. Rei's hackles rose at his voice, distinctly remembering that he was the one who readily accused her of being a terrorist. "When are we to receive word of Jupiter's aid?"

Artemis' blue orbs hesitantly trailed over to meet Minako's somber expression briefly before responding. "Soon. There is to be… a union; a ceremony, if you will, between Princess Makoto and Princess Minako which should commence within the next two weeks."

"Two weeks?" another councilman repeated, aghast. "We don't have time for that!"

"Not to mention our trust with the Jovians has dwindled since the invasion when Princess Minako traveled to their planet," another piped up. "How can we be sure they aren't a part of this as well?"

The speculation ignited the feud among the crowd once more, only this time the Lunarian's attempt at calming them proved to be pointless. Queen Aphrodite slowly rose from her seat, voice shattering the noise in the room.

"Enough!" she called out. The delegates immediately froze at their Queen's word while she calmly placed one hand over the other in front of her. "I understand all of your concerns, but I assure you, we will be ready to combat the terrorists if need be. We are aware that time is of the essence and we don't intend to waste any of it. Our soldiers are being put under rigorous training as we speak for what may be an attack. As of now, the only thing we can do is wait for the alliance to be completed and continue to allow Venus to prosper."

Artemis nodded emphatically beside his superior. "I suspect Takeshi and his army will need time to recuperate after the invasion as well. He, too, lost many men on Saturn."

"What is King Cronus to do now that his only heir has been murdered?" Minako spoke for the first time, voice barely above a whisper. Disbelief of the death of the eleven-year-old was still written on her features.

The adviser took in a breath before slowly releasing it. "I'm… not sure. Truthfully, he is lucky he himself came out of the attack alive; Saturn still has a leader to govern it. Uranus is in disarray without any rulers. The Moon is keeping careful watch of the planet and is harboring a good portion of Uranian families in Montes Jura for the time being. Other outer realm planets are doing the same for them."

"How have the Opposers gotten so powerful?" a councilman inquired. "For them to penetrate both the Saturnian and Uranian armies… could we even stand a chance _with_ Jupiter?"

Artemis frowned. The very same thought had already occurred to him earlier, but in order to preserve the relative calm in the room, he pushed aside his own familiar concern. "Unfortunately, when Uranus was ambushed the terrorists claimed all of their weaponry, giving them the proper tools they needed in order to make their way further in to the solar system. I'm afraid Takeshi only seems to be gaining more followers as his reign becomes truer."

A dreary silence invaded the room. The delegates were now too lost in thought and fear to utter a single word. Aphrodite took it upon herself to address the crowd for a final time.

"For now, it's best for you all to resume your duties," she started. "We will hear word soon on the status of Jupiter and their people. Thank you all for your time."

The leaders hesitantly stood from their seats or shuffled from their stiff standing positions before slowly filtering out of the room, many leaving with unanswered questions and doubts. While the Queen's assurance on the subject brought some ease to the group, it was evident that few truly believed Venus would emerge out of an ambush unscathed—at least, without the aid of the Jovian army. The uneasiness each member felt as they left the room was due to the foreboding sense that told them they would be next in the battle of dictatorship in the solar system.

Rei weaved her way through the remaining Venusians to get to Artemis. The Lunarian looked tired as he placed a palm over his forehead in exasperation.

"I agree with them," she said, dark eyes boring a hole in his clear blue. "I'm worried about Jupiter's allegiance… or, at least some of them. I fear they are conspiring against us."

"I think you're right, but it's dangerous to accuse an ally planet of conspiracy," Artemis replied promptly. "As far as we know the attack on Jupiter was merely circumstance. There's no evidence that they're consulting with the enemy."

Rei leaned in closer to him, gaze peering hesitantly beside her as the queen started past her to the golden doors. "I wasn't able to tell you this before, but when Minako and I were trying to get to the shuttle, we were stopped by one of the terrorists. He was looking right at her before he attacked us. How would they know to come looking for us if they didn't know we would be there?"

Artemis' eyes widened slightly at this discovery before momentarily drawing to the princess, who was conversing with a councilman. "That… is very interesting."

"I have my suspicions, but I felt extremely uneasy down on Io," Rei continued. "I think the person we're looking for is a Jovian leader."

Artemis cursed and turned his attention back to the Martian. "We can't express this accusation, at least until their help is ensured; it's too dangerous for us to go into this war unaided. They can't act now, at any rate. After the ceremony we will approach our uncertainty to the council."

Rei only supplied a nod, gaze snapping to Minako as she approached the pair. She offered a somber smile.

"How are you doing? I'm sorry, this news wasn't exactly the ideal birthday present," Artemis winced in sympathy.

Minako shook her head. "No, we have more important things to worry about. It was a nice break for everyone last night, but… it doesn't seem like the appropriate time to celebrate anything. Not with all the misfortune that is occurring around us."

"I understand," he said. "You should probably get started on your duties; the meeting caused a delay in everyone's morning."

The princess only nodded as she started down the hall. Rei followed close behind, sharing a wary glance at the mentor before taking her leave.

* * *

Rei's boots scuffed against hard wood as she trudged alongside the Venusian down the corridor, feeling the heavy weight of uncertainty fill her insides. By her and Artemis withholding their suspicions, were they only putting Minako –and Venus—in greater danger? Still, to accuse a planet they're intending to ally with would erupt a different influx of problems, and Venus can't afford to lose their assigned partnership. They would just have to see what will happen.

"I can't believe they got to Hotaru," Minako murmured, disrupting Rei's musings. "She was so young…"

"That made her easy prey," she retorted unabashedly, receiving a slightly appalled look from the princess.

"Then their army should have been better prepared."

"There isn't much else to be prepared _with_ ," Rei stressed. "You have your military, your weapons, and your alliance. The terrorists have nearly already conquered two planets by surpassing them in two out of those three resources. You're only as prepared as the amount of effort you put _into_ preparing."

"Then I think we need more effort," Minako said. "I think it would do our army good to be trained by someone who could bestow better warfare tactics upon them… and I think it should be you."

Rei tossed her a look, bemused by the suggestion. "You want _me_ to train your soldiers?"

"Don't act surprised, Rei," Minako chided. "I saw you all those weeks ago showing off your moves to them. The ones who actually fought you were on the ground in mere minutes. You have a talent, and I think they could all use some advice from a warrior raised on a planet that favors war and combat above all else."

"You want me to just overthrow your commanding officer?" she asked, trying to grasp the situation.

Minako rolled her eyes. "That's not what I mean; I can pull some strings to have you work with him. So, will you do it?"

Rei huffed as the blonde waited patiently for a response. "Fine," Minako beamed brightly at her curt reply. "And I wasn't "showing off" to them."

"Oh, really?" the beam slipped into a smug smirk. "Then I suppose you were just showing off to me, then?"

The Martian sneered, ceasing her movements to turn sharply to stare down the princess with sheer acrimony. "Why do you do that?"

Minako came to a halt in front of her, playful grin faltering. "What… do you mean?"

"Stop saying those things. Stop acting like you…" she trailed off, averting her gaze sourly. "Forget it."

Light brows knitted together as a wave of confusion came over the Venusian. "You've been acting strange all morning. Have I done something?" she waited a moment for an answer, but received none. Her shoulders slumped. "I know you're probably still angry that I had too much to drink last night, and if that's the reason, then I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get out of hand, truly."

"That's not it," she muttered back.

"Then what is it?"

"…"

"Rei," Minako prodded gently, placing a hand on the other woman's arm. It was enough to rile her back to life as she yanked away the gesture. She gasped lightly at the sudden action.

"It wasn't _you_ who was out of hand. It was _me_ ," she cried. "You were inviting me in, and I almost took it. I nearly lost myself in you and I didn't care about the consequences."

Minako's stunned silence allowed Rei a moment to compose herself. The memories of last night were far too hazy for her to recall properly. She remembered downing the first of many drinks, dancing… Finding Rei was a blur, as was most of everything afterward. She racked her brain, and after a moment a few images flashed in her mind.

Rei on top of her and pinning her to the bed. How she boldly brought her lips close to the warrior's in attempt to bring them even closer.

It crashed down on her. Hard.

She blinked rapidly to process the memory, but was quick to address the Martian once more. "Rei, please, we can talk about this—"

"Stop," she demanded, and Minako's mouth closed with a click. "There's nothing to say about it. Nothing happened."

"That doesn't matter," the persistent woman fought back. " _Something_ almost happened and only one of us was sober. You can pretend nothing happened but you have to explain your feelings. It's only fair to both of us."

"You're one to talk," she shot back, causing the blonde to yet again clamp her lips together. "And there's nothing to explain because there are no feelings on my part."

Anger swelled within Minako's chest. "So you're just going to go on ignoring that something inside of you wanted me?"

Rei didn't supply an answer. She pivoted toward the direction they were walking toward, no longer able to look the princess in the eye. "You have more important things to worry about than this."

She picked up on her stride once more, purposely evading Minako's glossy pair of cerulean as she left her alone in the hall.


	10. Chapter 9

_So come on love, draw your swords_

 _Shoot me to the ground._

 _You are mine, I am yours_

 _Let's not fuck around._

"Draw Your Swords" – Angus and Julia Stone

The princess' ears had grown accustomed to the sound of swords clashing together and being removed from their sheaths over the last week.

She stood stationed above the archway overlooking the training grounds—the same spot she first saw Rei's skills being put to the test as she took down members of the Venusian army one by one. While all those months ago Minako would deny any outward admiration toward the Martian's talents, she now embraced them wholeheartedly since the incident on Jupiter. Since then she has felt secure whenever she was near her. Her presence was a reassurance that no matter what would happen, she would be safe from harm. That was just the kind of feeling Rei exuded.

There was another side to her, though—the side that oddly both frightened and intrigued Minako. It was one built with such untamed anger and emotion. It was the part of her that she tried to mask with a resolved demeanor and stoic expression, but at times would arrive in random uncontrollable spurts. It was the part the princess wanted so desperately to figure out if Rei had not always been so quick to dismiss with a sneer and incoherent mutter. It was the part that had prevailed over the course of almost seven days now, leaving Minako to wonder if the other woman would ever speak to her as she did before.

Minako had taken to watching her from a safe distance so as to not be seen by the intuitive warrior. Rei had accepted the role in instructing the army on new ways of combat, and from what the Venusian has seen thus far, it seemed to be working. It had been eating away most of her time lately, however. Not that Minako necessarily minded; it was she after all who appointed her with the task. She just felt that it was more or less a way for Rei to avoid confronting her further on their… conversation that occurred a few days ago. She just barely upheld her duty to the blonde by being by her side when appropriate, and that side of her—that anger—is the wall that separated them from their usual harmonious interaction. Rei wouldn't so much as offer a glance Minako's way, and any time that the princess actually did manage to catch her eye, the Martian would avert her gaze hastily. Minako knew the reason behind her actions—it didn't take a Venusian to figure out that Rei was suppressing feelings when it came to her, and instead of approaching her about it, she took to passive aggression and indignation.

And Minako was growing restless of it.

She watched as one of the soldiers fell to his knees in mercy as the woman in question gave his wrist a firm twist after he attempted to send a sucker punch her way. She started some lecture on not going after your opponent blindly, and Minako took that as her cue to leave the area undetected.

She had her own opponent to deal with soon.

* * *

The command center was unoccupied at this time, and for good reason. The workers granted the princess the privacy she needed in order to conduct the meeting without any interruptions. She knew her way around a control panel enough to make a conference call.

She took a seat at one of the panels and typed in the coordinates on the keypad for the palace Io. Once located, a request for an invitation of conference was sent, and she was left awaiting confirmation from the other party. Of course, the Jovians were aware of the call, it just may take more time sending the signal to their system due to their location in the outer realm.

Minako leaned back in her chair and drew in a breath. A few days prior Queen Aphrodite had suggested that it would be best for her to not go into the betrothal blindly; Minako, after all, had no idea what the Jovian Princess looked like, let alone knew anything about her. The only other way to make contact with the planet would be a formal conference, seeing as traveling was out of the question. The request for conference was accepted by the Jovian delegates on behalf of Princess Makoto two days ago.

Minako readily agreed with her mother on the subject. In fact, she had been wanting to talk to Makoto about it and even so much as thought of going incognito and shuttling down to Jupiter herself, though, the consequences outweighed the outcome, and she didn't want to put herself and her people at more risk. She was prepared to fight her; she wasn't going to hold back her feelings on the contract she had yet to complete. Minako wasn't known for withholding her thoughts, and she would be damned if she was silent now.

After a few short moments, she was notified that a connection was finally made. She straightened back up in preparation, and in seconds the screen calibrated, blaring the young woman for her to gaze upon.

At first, Minako was taken aback by her display. The Jovian was certainly not at all what she expected her to look like; what she pictured to be a simple brute turned out to be quite the opposite. She was tall—most Jovians were, and her frame was slim yet muscular from what she could tell by her exposed arms. Her dark mahogany brown mane was pulled back tightly while two loose strands fell against her cheekbones. Her garbs complimented her eyes, which were an enthralling shade of emerald. She greeted the Venusian princess with a warm smile.

"You must be Princess Minako," she started. "My name is Jupiter Makoto, heir to the Jovian throne. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Her voice snapped Minako out of her blatant gazing. "Um," she sputtered, returning the gesture. "Yes—I mean, likewise."

"I'm sorry we must meet under these circumstances. I was hoping to greet you on Jupiter all those weeks ago, but unfortunately, too many duties came up and I was unable to. I'm sure you know just as well as I that one hour council meetings can quickly turn into all-day affairs," she chuckled. Minako smirked at her wit.

"It can be quite tiresome," she agreed, suddenly realizing that the princess wasn't nearly as brutal as she thought she would be. She was beginning to rescind any thoughts of aggression toward her since she clearly didn't deserve it. Still, she had to make her point clear enough for her to understand.

"I'm sure you heard the terrible news about Saturn," Makoto continued. "I fear this terrorist group is only growing more powerful each day."

Minako nodded solemnly. "It's all anyone has been talking about the past week. I can only imagine the king's grievance."

"Two heirs and one king," Makoto murmured with the disdainful shake of her head. "It seems no planetary rulers are safe, no matter how strong they are."

Minako's crystal blue eyes found the keyboard as she spoke. "Makoto-san, I have been wanting to talk to you about our… situation," she bit her lip in hesitance to speak. "You see, I… I'm actually in love with someone else," the words slipped out before she could control it, though, it didn't feel wrong coming from her lips. "I'm choosing to go through with the betrothal in order to help my people because we desperately need it. I just… thought it would only be fair to be frank with you."

The brunette's intent frown morphed into a soft grin. "I also have my heart set on another," at this, the Venusian's gaze shot back up to hers. "Sometimes we have to make sacrifices in order to do what's right. Arranged marriages aren't uncommon on Jupiter, but for you, this must be a very difficult task, and for that I'm sorry. Times of war call for measures beyond our control."

"Yes," Minako said distractedly, still processing her prior statement. "Do they know?"

"What?"

"The person you love," she clarified. "Do they know that you do?"

Makoto chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck somewhat awkwardly. "Well, she _is_ the smartest woman in the solar system, so I suppose she may have an inkling."

Minako smirked. "A Mercurian, hm? Sounds interesting."

"I—I never said it was a Mercurian…" Makoto attempted to defend.

"Oh? Well, the smartest woman that _I_ know of just happens to be a Mercurian. And a princess. So next time you see Princess Ami, you should tell her how you feel."

The Jovian opened and closed her mouth in attempt to find her voice, but her words seemed to fail her. The blood rushing to her face more or less told the Venusian she hit the nail on the head, anyway. She watched her with an amused grin.

"I'm sorry, I tend to try to figure people out, especially when it comes to love. It's a bad habit," she admitted.

"It's alright. You aren't exactly wrong…" she said sheepishly. "I'm just not sure it's even worth mentioning to her."

Minako offered a small smile as she stared into her pair of emerald. "With everything that has been occurring the solar system, now would be the best time to do so. You don't want to regret not telling her if something were to happen. Even if she doesn't want to admit her own feelings, it's important that you do."

Makoto watched as the other princess seemingly zoned out then, and a knowing smile graced her lips. "I suppose you're right," unlike Minako, she decided not to inquire about her own affairs despite her curiosity on the subject. "At any rate, I have fulfilled the appropriate documents and submitted them, so your people should receive them soon. From what I understand, we are to come to Venus in order to perform the ceremony within the upcoming week."

Minako nodded robotically. "Yes."

"Very well. Thank you for your time," Makoto said, offering a deferential nod.

"You as well."

"And Minako-san," she started up once more, earning the blonde's attention. "Just because some documents say we must be coupled, that doesn't necessarily mean that we are committed. I would advise you to be careful should you choose to defy the contract, however. Just know that I wouldn't say anything."

Minako swallowed hard, then flashed a smile at the brunette. "I understand. Take care."

The screen went blank as the connection dropped. Minako pressed her back to the chair, eyes glazing over the keyboard in thought.

She sat there only a moment longer before leaving the command center in search for the Martian warrior.

* * *

The knocks on her door were so incessant, Rei was sure there had to be some type of emergency due to their quick and repetitious nature. She hastily made her way across the room to stop the continuous pounding, but seeing Minako on the other side made her wish she hadn't opened it at all.

For the first time in days, Rei stared into her pools of blue which so fiercely looked back at her own dark ones. She stood with her chin held high and arms crossed, and Rei could tell just by her presentation that the princess had concocted some kind of argument in her head that she was ready to unleash. Rei expected it, though; it had been almost a week since their last conversation, and she knew Minako would be the one to address it first.

"What is it?" she asked. She knew the reason, but someone had to speak first, and Minako was far too busy upholding her indignant disposition to do so.

"We have to talk," she replied relatively calmly. "Can I come in?"

Instead of answering, Rei stepped aside to grant the blonde access inside the room. She closed the door in the wake of her entrance and turned around to find the other woman peering out the vast window.

"The soldiers are doing better," she noted quietly. Rei narrowed her eyes, for a moment ago she looked as though she was about to have an outburst.

"There's a lot that still needs to be done. But… yes. There has been some improvement." she said, eyeing her warily. "But I know that's not what you came here to talk about."

At her words, Minako finally craned her neck to meet the warrior's gaze once more. "You're right," she started. "I'm upset. I'm upset and _hurt_ that you chose to ignore me for days instead of confronting me. You can suppress your feelings all you want, Rei, but you can't run from them."

"I'm not running from anything; not from you and certainly not any feelings you keep claiming I have," Rei shot back.

Minako flung her hands in the air in exasperation. "Then what were you so afraid of this whole week? I hardly saw you at all."

"I was busy training your incompetent soldiers, which, need I remind you, was a job _you_ appointed me to do," she said, jabbing a finger in the blonde's direction.

"And what of all those hours you _weren't_ busy with that task? You certainly weren't with me like you should have been; most likely you were locked in here doing gods know what instead of doing what you were brought down here to do."

Rei sneered. "Excuse me for not being there to hover around you all day, _your highness_. Or perhaps you needed me to carry you back to your room again because you had one too many drinks at dinner."

"You're incorrigible," Minako cried, hands balling into tight fists. "I know you're still upset about that night, but it's for a much different reason than that. You're angry that you _wanted_ me but couldn't and you're angry that you have these feelings—"

"Stop it!" Rei demanded, the outburst causing a small jolt to go through the princess. "I don't have those feelings!"

"Yes, you do!"

"I don't!"

"You're a _coward_ , that's why you can't admit it!"

" _I'm_ a coward?" Rei's voice rose in disbelief. "What about you? You talk a lot of talk, princess, but I don't remember you confronting me at all this week about your _own_ feelings."

"Don't turn this around on me," Minako uttered.

"You're a hypocrite. Don't pretend like there isn't a part of _you_ that wants _me_. You were the one to initiate everything that night."

"Fine, do you want to know how I feel, then?" she muttered, taking the few strides she needed to stand directly in front of the Martian before leaning up ever-so-slightly to press her lips fully against hers. Their mouths met rather clumsily, mostly due to the Venusian's eagerness that caught Rei off-guard. It took her a moment to react to it, but when her brain finally processed the kiss, she couldn't suppress herself from succumbing to it. It's what every part of her has been waning since gods know how long, but what every part of her has been denying as well. Minako parted her lips away after a few lingering seconds and scanned the other woman's features, which were seemingly unreadable.

Rei found herself leaning in this time, and just as she could feel Minako's breath against her lips, she spoke up, effectively halting her movements.

"Now can you stand there and tell me you feel nothing for me?" she murmured, cerulean boldly meeting amethyst. Rei said nothing, and it was her silence that told Minako she had one the argument.

Rei waited for Minako to close the space between them for a second time, only to have the warmth of the princess escape her as she brushed past her to make her way to the doorframe. Rei watched her carefully as she paused by the door before turning to meet her gaze once more.

"When I talked to Makoto earlier today, I confessed to her that I was in love with someone else," she stated. Her eyes softened as Rei's lips parted slightly at the revelation, but Minako didn't give her enough time to respond had the warrior been able to formulate a response in the first place. "Goodnight, Rei."

The hinge met the frame with a gentle click as she left the room. Rei's hand clenched into a tight fist before she swung it at the wall adjacent to her, letting out an angered cry as her knuckles met the concrete.

It was the first battle in all her life she had lost.


	11. Chapter 10

_But I could swear by your expression_

 _that the pain down in your soul_

 _was the same as the one down in mine._

 _That's the pain that cuts a straight line_

 _down through the heart; we call it love._

"The Origin of Love" – Hedwig and the Angry Inch

 _The warships hung above the sky like thick, ominous clouds before a storm. Hundreds of the masked men fell from them as they landed on the hard ground below before starting toward the palace, striking down every civilian and soldier that dare cross their path. Not even the inhabitants of the renowned planet of war could so easily suppress the hoard. They were arriving at all angles and infiltrating every keep within minutes._

 _The doors burst open as the swarm of terrorists migrated inside the kingdom. The sounds of battle cries and gutted men filled the area as one figure calmly made his way down the corridor, relatively amused at the number of Martian carcasses that trailed behind him. He stopped his trek when he came to the doors of the throne room, the Opposers who remained by his side slaughtering the last two soldiers who stood defiantly in front of him in an attempt to protect their king._

 _He carelessly stepped over their fallen bodies before going inside. His cold, icy eyes fell on the man ahead—the man who would soon be his next victim. He smirked coolly._

 _"_ _You must be Ares," he said. "It truly is an honor to come face-to-face with the ruler of Mars. Though… for a planet that favors warfare above all else, it was just as easy to infiltrate here as it was any other one."_

 _Ares glowered at the man across from him, burly arm reaching up to clasp the pommel of his sword. "You know nothing of warfare, tyrant, and you would be wise not to test me in such a subject."_

 _"_ _Hm," he chuckled. "Perhaps it is_ _ **I**_ _whom you should not test, your highness."_

 _The terrorists caved in on the king, who skillfully used his sword to counter their attacks. He brought down several of the men with the swipe of his weapon within moments. Though Ares was strong, he was not fast enough to evade the agile group. After a powerful swing, his side was left exposed for an Opposer to slash at, followed by another. The king let out a garbled cry as blood seeped from his torso. He made another feeble attempt at striking them, but his sword was stopped mid-motion by one of the men. His arm was twisted back behind him until the pressure caused his weapon to slip to the floor. Three of the minions held him down as the apparent leader stepped forward._

 _"_ _What a shame. I thought you would have made this fight more interesting," he muttered, glaring down at him. "Although, it gives me great pleasure seeing a king kneel before me."_

 _"_ _You won't have your way," Ares growled. "Your reign of terror will end; I'll see to it until my dying breath."_

 _"_ _Which will be very soon, I assure you. But first, you have to answer some questions for me," he crouched so that he was face-to-face with the king. "Where is your heir?"_

 _"_ _I've got none!" Ares rasped as she writhed in the men's grasp. "I am the sole ruler of this planet!"_

 _The blade that was once stationary at his side was now in his hand as he brought the edge up to the dark haired man's throat. Ares swallowed thickly at its cool touch._

 _"_ _ **Every**_ _ruler in the solar system has a successor. I_ _ **know**_ _you do. Now, who is it?"_

 _Ares' chest heaved in and out as the weapon pressed against his skin, leaving a thin red line in the wake of its sharp touch. "I—I only have one, but I don't know where she is! Her mother took her when she was an infant. I only know her name."_

 _Teal eyes narrowed. "And what might that be?"_

"Rei."

Rei jumped upright in the bed as she woke with a start at the call of her name. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears as a thin sheen of sweat covered her chest and forehead, dampening her bangs. She heaved in and out in attempt to calm her racing heart before clasping a hand over her head.

"A vision?" she murmured, "or a nightmare?"

The voice called through the door once more as knocking ensued. Rei recognized it as the lieutenant's tone. "The soldiers are on the field waiting for you. You wanted this job, then you have to be ready on time."

" ** _I_** _didn't want the job_ ," she thought bitterly. "Coming," she replied, hastily slipping on her clothes. She instantly averted back to the vision as she prepared for the day, thoughts of war on her home planet plaguing her mind. She wondered if it truly was a vision of the future or if all the terrorist events the past weeks caused her to concoct a dream forged by her own fear of her planet getting attacked. The visions she has had in the past were limited and not absolute, but they only occurred in times of great distress.

Given the circumstances, it seemed like it was a vision. And if so, should she go to warn her people? To support them? Was she to simply disregard her role here on Venus?

She stood in the middle of the room, mind toying between the different outcomes of the situation. After another round of knocking on the door, she scowled and commenced her duties, the foreboding sense in her gut never dissipating.

* * *

Artemis stepped onto the lower grounds of the palace, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the sun. The field was filled with the Venusian army as they trained under the command of Mars Rei, and seeing the young woman in such a position gave the Lunarian great pride. In a few short months, Rei became acquainted with the queen and her daughter and many planetary delegates, and she now held a high rank in the army. Suffice to say, she has come a long way since she left Mars, and being able to watch such a transition caused the advisor immense pleasure. He knew since the moment he laid eyes on her that she was meant for something greater, that she had a purpose to fulfill and that she was more than just another soldier. Artemis had his own intuition that rarely ever failed him, after all.

Sensing eyes on her, Rei turned to meet the white-haired man's gaze. She barked out another order at the group before making her way over to him.

"How are they?" he asked as she stationed herself beside him.

"They're fools, but… they're brave. And they're learning," she answered, eyes still trained on the armored men.

Artemis chuckled. "It does seem like some progress has been made."

Rei grumbled as the adviser eyed her stiff form. His brows furrowed.

"Is something wrong?"

The warrior glanced his way, releasing a sigh as she folded her arms in front of her. "I think the terrorists are going to attack Mars next."

"What do you mean?" Artemis asked, concern flashing his features.

Rei shook her head, raven tresses tossing side-to-side from the movement. "I've been known to have visions from time to time. The one I had last night was unmistakable. I saw Opposers attacking Phobos Deimos. They went after Ares."

"These visions are also a part of your sixth sense?" Artemis inquired.

"Yes. Although, they are known to be… fickle," she admitted. "The future is always changing, so it can be hard to tell if the incident will truly occur. But with the way these attacks have been steadily increasing…"

The Lunarian's clear blue eyes met the ground as Rei trailed off. "I see."

Rei hesitated before speaking up once more. "I want to go down there. If the vision is true I want to be able to aid the army should the terrorists attack. I'd have the upper hand—I'd know where Takeshi would go and I'd be able to get to him first or get Ares out before he gets killed."

Artemis ran a hand through his white locks before his gaze met the warrior's once more. "Rei, I understand how much you want to help your people, but you agreed to come here knowing very well that your dedication to Minako was your main priority. It's far too risky for you to go down there; we need you here. Not only for Minako's sake, but we need your military command."

The Martian's glower sent a shiver down the mentor's back. "You expect me to sit idly by and let it happen?"

"You said it yourself, your visions are not absolute. How can you be so sure it will happen?" Artemis countered, sighing as Rei turned away sourly. "It's not our job to oversee Mars; their alliance is with Mercury. And even if we were to warn them about it… well, you remember how _our_ delegates handled accepting your sixth sense when you saved Minako on Jupiter. It won't end well. Right now, you just need to trust that with some of the new technology they've inherited that they'll be able to detect the Opposers if they were to invade. The future is always changing. Don't let it mislead you."

Rei remained quiet, watching as the soldiers fought away at one another. The sounds of army men training reminded her of her home planet. She _wanted_ to go, but Artemis' points proved to be too valid for her to even argue with. She knew it was risky, and a part of her didn't care. But Venus was where she swore she'd be, and despite the potential threat on Mars eating her up inside, she knew she had to remain here.

"Promise me you won't do anything rash," he said, effectively gaining Rei's attention once more.

"I don't think it's my actions you should be worrying about," she replied promptly, dark eyes trailing off distantly to the hard ground as she continued. "Do you know who Ares' heir is?"

Artemis' brows furrowed, bemused by the sudden inquiry. "Ares doesn't have a successor."

With a pensive demeanor, Rei wordlessly made her way back to the group of soldiers, the vision still causing an uneasy feeling to settle in her gut.

* * *

Darkness had swept over the sky, casting out any means of light throughout the palace. It was the princess' cue to settle in for the night as she collapsed onto the vast bed, allowing herself to be wrapped in its soft embrace. Today proved to be an emotionally draining day, as she finally willed herself to complete the contract with Jupiter she had been purposely avoiding the past few weeks. She knew in her mind it was the right thing to do, and she was content knowing that if Venus were to be the Opposer's next victim that Jupiter would be there to support them if need be.

Her heart, on the other hand, told her otherwise.

Minako felt it sink to the bottom of her stomach as soon as the ink touched the parchment, felt it pound in defiance with each curve of the quill as she signed her name, knowing its permanence and that she won't be able to rescind it once it was sent.

Images of Rei flashed in her mind as she stared at the paper. She knew her love for the Martian would prevail no matter what documentations she had to sign. If what Makoto implied to her was true—which was that she isn't planning on being loyal to the contract—then Minako would certainly continue to pursue Rei, just as she planned on pursuing the Mercurian princess.

Despite being the princess on the planet of love, Minako ironically still found it to be so complex. She was still trying to get a handle on her own feelings while at the same time trying to debunk Rei's. While she hasn't verbalized it, it's apparent that Rei does harbor feelings of love for her, so why was she so hesitant to admit it?

With her thoughts quickly fading her due to the need for sleep, Minako found herself slowly drifting off. Just as her eyes closed, she was roused awake once more by the sound of gentle rustling coming from outside, followed by the distinct sound of timid footfalls. Her eyelids fluttered open and she let out a surprised gasp at the familiar figure standing at her bedside.

"Rei," she hissed. "How did you…" blue eyes averted to the window, which remained ajar. The princess gaped. "Did you just _climb_ to get to my window? I have a door, you know!"

Rei hushed the aghast Venusian. "I didn't want the guards at your door to know I'm in here," she replied while confusion settled on Minako's features. "I just… needed to talk to you."

Minako's bewilderment morphed into a soft smile at the words. "Well, I'm here, so you can."

Rei's pair of amethyst trailed to the floor rather than staring into her pools of cerulean. "I foresaw an attack on Mars this morning," Minako opened her mouth to share her open concern, but was silenced by the warrior. "I don't know what it means, or if it's even true, but my first instinct was to just go back and do what I could down there. I really wanted to. When I talked to Artemis about it, he told me the risk of it all and that I shouldn't, and at first I was angry; all my life I had no one who cared about me, but that made it all the more easier to put myself in dangerous situations in the army. I didn't care because no one else did.

"But when I thought about leaving here and going off to fight against an army of terrorists with the possibility of death looming over my head… I couldn't. Not because I was scared, but because I now have a purpose. I have someone who truly cares for me, and throwing myself out on the field of battle uncertain of my return would hurt you, as well. My desire to protect you is too strong to simply disregard. It was selfish of me to even think about leaving, even if it was fleeting."

Minako stared, wide eyes pleading for the Martian to look at her. "Rei…"

"It was difficult for me to admit how I felt because I wanted to protect you from me. I'm not good for you," Rei continued. "I'm only a soldier, Minako. You're being married off. I didn't want to interfere and cause consequences for the both of us. I tried suppressing them— _fuck_ , I tried—but it only made things worse. I'm… sorry for that."

Minako studied the other woman's face, which was unreadable due to the darkness. Her eyes were still locked on the floor, so the princess urged her to sit with the gentle pull of her hand. Rei relented without a fight.

"Do you think you're not worthy enough for me?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper. "Because you are _more_ than worthy, Rei. You're more than just a soldier in my eyes. I trust you with my life. You're… the most important person to me."

Rei's head hung as she spoke. "I was afraid of what we might become and refused my feelings for months. I'm tired of it… gods, I'm _so_ tired of it."

Minako watched her carefully. "Are you saying you have feelings for me?"

Violet finally locked with azure, and Minako could make out a faint smirk even in the ill-lighted room. "I'm saying fuck the consequences."

With no more words from either pair, Rei's lips met the Venusian's in a heated kiss. Minako's tongue wanted an entrance, and Rei welcomed it without hesitation. She was quick to pull the warrior on top of her as her digits tangled in her dark mane. The princess had an overwhelming need to touch, and she satisfied that craving by slipping her hands under the Martian's shirt. She clawed at her faire skin, leaving trails of nail marks along the small of her back. Rei placed kisses along Minako's jaw, neck and collar bone, causing sighs of contentment to escape from the blonde's mouth.

Tongues roamed. Hands explored. They didn't entirely know what they were doing, or how it got to this, just that it felt so _right_.

Rei wasn't seen going back to her quarters that night.

* * *

Rei awoke the next morning, rubbing a palm over her face to stir herself from her half-risen state. She blinked slowly as sunlight leaked through the thin curtains, and judging by the quiet lull of the city, it was still relatively early, but too late to try to get anymore rest.

Last night's events suddenly crashed down on her and the realization that she was not alone was apparent when she looked down to find Minako's sleeping figure leaning against her side. Rei watched as her chest rose up and down steadily, matching the beat of her own heart.

" _She looks so peaceful_ ," she noted, smiling absently at her display. She reached down to push her blonde bangs away from her face. The gentle movement caused Minako's eyes to slowly flutter open.

"You're awake," Rei said, gliding her long fingers through her thick golden locks.

Minako sighed lightly. Rei felt her hot breath against her neck. "When did morning come?"

"A few hours ago," she said, continuing her ministrations.

Minako felt her heavy eyelids slip shut once more. "If you keep doing that I'm going to fall right back to sleep."

Rei's movements along her blonde tresses came to a halt, and Minako almost groaned at the end of the sensation.

"That didn't mean you had to _stop_ ," she whined.

"Then you'd never want to get up," Rei retorted.

Minako then sat up so that her face was inches away from the Martian's "So what? What if I just want to stay here all day?" she brought her index finger up and traced her jaw line, sending a shiver down Rei's back. "Is that too much to ask?"

"So there is a lazy side to you, princess," Rei quipped.

"Hmm, perhaps," Minako hummed. "I wish I had time to be lazy, but things are moving so quickly."

"When are the Jovians expected to arrive?"

"Within the next week," Minako murmured distractedly as she searched the queen bed for her bottoms. "Have you seen my gown? I know it's here some—aha!"

She triumphantly seized the blue material, only to pout sourly at its wrinkled display. "Look what you did to my beautiful night dress, Mars Rei."

Rei rose a dark brow at the accusation. "It was hardly my fault; _you_ were the one who was in such a rush to get it off."

The blonde's pout morphed into a smug smirk as she leaned back into the Martian. "Well, could you really blame me?" She kissed the side of her mouth and moved her lips over to the dark haired woman's, only to remove herself from her embrace seconds later.

"Tease," Rei growled as Minako slipped on her gown, blowing a raspberry in her direction.

The sound of three urgent knocks on the door sent a jolt through both women as the voice of one of the guards sounded through the hard wood.

"Minako-sama, are you there?"

Rei cursed as she snatched up her own clothing hastily. "U—Uh, just a minute!" she sprinted out of the bed and motioned Rei to hide in the bathroom as she dealt with the young soldier.

With one swift movement, the door opened, and Minako flashed a brilliant beam at him. "Yes?"

"Pardon me for my intrusion, your grace, but you are needed in the conference room right away," he informed.

Minako's brows knitted together. "A meeting at this hour? What is the matter of urgency, if you don't mind me asking?"

"We've been informed that Opposers attacked Mars, your grace."

* * *

"So, it appears we have an Ares problem, do we?"

The man paced the carpeted rug, voice penetrating through the vast, empty room. His inferior offered a curt nod.

"Yes, your grace. But I assure you he won't get away next time. His forces were strong enough to drive ours out, but if we attack soon—"

"I'm not very interested in Ares at the moment," the ruler countered. "I'm more intrigued by his runaway heir. She could be anywhere, which makes her all the more dangerous. We have to find her somehow."

The other chuckled, turning his superior's gaze back to him questioningly. "I may just happen to know who we're looking for… and where to find her."

"Can I trust you to lead me to her?"

"Indeed, I think you will be very pleased where our forces travel next," he answered confidently.

The tyrant ceased his pacing to stare his confidante in the eyes. "Very well. I put my faith in you, Souji."

* * *

A/N: Trying real hard with the plot twists here (lol). Again, sorry for the delay; been really, really busy lately. But I'm determined to finish this story, so hopefully when winter break comes up I'll be back to updating every two weeks again. Thank you for sticking around, though!


	12. Chapter 11

_When I was sixteen my senses fooled me_

 _Thought gasoline was on my clothes_

 _I knew that something would always rule me_

 _I knew the scent was mine alone._

"Arsonist's Lullaby" - Hozier

The shuttle that came hovering down to the platform caused Minako to have a knot in her stomach. She watched as it slowly descended from the sky to the ground, making her palms become slightly clammy in anticipation. She turned to look beside her where Rei stood, watching her tuck a dark lock of hair behind her ear due to the heavy wind from the arriving shuttle. Since that night the Martian stayed with the Venusian, the pair only continued to explore their relationship. Secret closet make-out sessions, subtle hand-holdings under tables during meetings, and more nights spent together ensued, yet their contentment would last only so long.

The news of Takeshi and his army attacking Mars left Rei in a dreary silence for a couple of days, and Minako knew better than to address the sensitive subject. Fortunately, Mercurian forces arrived in time to ward off the terrorists before Ares was killed, which allowed some ease in the tension she felt. The group's travels to Mars, however, put a drawback in Artemis' proposition that they were going after what appeared to be the weakest planets. It's as if their only motive now was to boast just how powerful they've gotten by attacking the planet of war and nearly succeeding.

Minako's musings came to an end when Rei caught her blatantly staring, but the blonde didn't make any attempt to quickly avert her eyes. They held gazes for a moment before the sound of a door unhinging and colliding with the ground snapped their attention over the Jovians who were emerging from the transport.

Souji started out first, followed by the remaining delegates. Minako saw through her peripheral vision Rei shift uncomfortably in her boots. Makoto was next to step out of the compartment with a group of soldiers trailing behind her.

Artemis was the first to greet the foreigners. "Thank you for coming down here to meet with us for this cause."

"It was no trouble at all," Souji replied. "We have been awaiting this moment." His gaze traveled over to Minako. "It's an honor to see you again, your grace."

Minako bowed respectfully. "Thank you, ambassador. It's a pleasure to see you, as well."

Dark orbs turned to the princess' right where Rei stood stiffly. "And… you too, Rei-san."

Rei's jaw clenched as she remained silent, only offering a curt nod the Jovian's way.

He looked back at the Lunarian. "When will the ceremony commence?"

"Tonight," he replied. "Right now you all will be lead to your chambers where you can freshen up and prepare for the event. I'm sure Princess Makoto will need some time to get adjusted, as well."

Minako's cerulean eyes shifted to Makoto's pair of emerald for a moment. They exchanged solemn smiles as Souji spoke up.

"Very well," his attention reverted back to the Venusian heir. "I nearly forgot to express my concerns for you, Minako-sama. The incident that occurred when you were on Jupiter was certainly a… surprise. I was pleased to hear your safe arrival back to Venus."

"Y—Yes…" Minako stammered. "Thankfully Rei was there to get us out unscathed."

"Indeed."

Rei narrowed her eyes as a small smirk settled on the Jovian's lips. The uneasiness was slowly making its way inside her gut.

Sensing the tension, Artemis was quick to speak up. "Shall we head inside?"

The group complied as they all filed in the palace. Artemis and Rei shared a short, wary stare before starting inside.

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Rei glanced at the blonde beside her as they walked down the hall, cocking a dark brow at the sudden inquiry.

"I think that's my line, seeing as you're getting married to another heir against your will," she replied, and Minako let out a vexed sigh. "Why do you ask?"

"You just seemed a little distant when the Jovians arrived," she noted. "Is something the matter?"

Rei's eyes found the marble floor as they continued their trek to the princess' chambers. She truly wished she could express her concern to her about the bad feeling she got as soon as the Jovian delegates emerged from the shuttle. She knew better than to do so, however. The last thing she wanted to do was rile the Venusian up when she was to be betrothed within the next few hours.

"I'm not exactly happy about this whole thing, either," she muttered, which was another legitimate reason for her uneasiness. "I wish… you didn't have to go through with this."

Rei's strides came to a halt as Minako's hand laced in her own suppressed her movements any further. She turned to meet her clear blue, finding a small smile on her pink lips.

"Everything's going to be fine. We'll figure something out. Perhaps this war will cease and there will no longer be any need for this betrothal," she supplied encouragingly. "Let's just keep… doing what we're doing. Ne?"

Rei's fierce features softened as a grin crossed her lips. "When did you become so optimistic?"

"Right around the time you started being pessimistic," Minako quipped as Rei scoffed. She leaned up ever-so-slightly to plant a kiss on her lips, which was a mistake in and of itself. Usually the pair was very cautious in their public affection even if no one was around.

But as Rei pulled away, her senses were alerting her of another presence, and she instinctively pivoted to face the intruder.

"I'm sorry!" the so-called trespasser, who was in fact Jupiter Makoto, sputtered nervously. "I didn't mean—I just—I was in search of my quarters again and I think I took a wrong turn…"

"I think so too," Rei said between clenched teeth, taking an involuntary step forward. Minako was quick to sooth the seething Martian. She still held onto her hand loosely.

"It's okay, Rei," she reassured, staring imploringly into Makoto's green orbs. "Makoto-san, _please_ don't tell anyone about this."

The Jovian shook her head emphatically, feeling Rei's glower. "No, I wouldn't—trust me. We're in the same situation, remember?"

Minako offered a small smile. She returned the gesture.

"Now, could one of you tell me exactly where to go…?"

" _I'll_ take you there," Rei blurted before Minako could even open her mouth. Makoto gulped audibly.

"Rei, don't even think about—"

"It's fine," she snapped before gesturing to the brunette. "Follow me."

* * *

Makoto tossed wary glances Rei's way as she followed her down the hall. The woman seemed fired up from her abrupt encounter, and the Jovian could understand why. Minako clearly wanted to keep their relationship unexposed—and for good reason. A soldier, or anyone below noble status, was unfit for a princess and therefore, the relationship they had would be terminated if Venusian leaders were to find out. Rei would most likely be sent to imprisonment—if she was lucky—despite their relationship being fully consensual. It was truly a risky situation, and Makoto commended them for their commitment.

"You know, I'm not going to tell anyone…" Makoto finally mustered up the courage to speak up after several minutes of silence between them. The sentence caused Rei to whirl around to face her, and the brunette stopped in her tracks.

"You do realize the entire Venusian court will have my head if you so much as breathe a word about it," Rei muttered, sending a chill down Makoto's spine at the venom laced in her tone. "Minako may be able to trust you, but I'm not so easy to appease. You and your people should do well to just stay away from her."

Makoto's green eyes hardened at the words spewing from the Martian's mouth. "Is that a threat?"

Rei bit her tongue, knowing already that she had gone too far, which was exactly what Minako _didn't_ want. Her fear of the traitor amidst the Jovian leaders was taking its toll on her.

"Something tells me what you're saying is beyond what happened earlier," Makoto continued. "What do you mean by 'my people'?"

"Nothing," Rei snapped. Makoto frowned at the curt reply. "Just forget I ever said it."

"I know you're hurting," the taller woman started despite Rei's blatant dismissal. "Minako is getting betrothed and there's nothing you can do to suppress it. Believe me when I say I wish this situation were different, too. But you _can't_ put blame on me for something that is out of my control, as well. I know you may not trust me, and to be frank, I'm not sure if I can trust you, either… but if you truly love her, then you'll understand that this has to be done in order to ensure her safety. Jupiter cannot help Venus unless this ceremony takes place."

Rei folded her arm in front of her chest, dark eyes narrowed at the other woman in front of her. "I still don't like you."

"Fair enough."

"Don't even utter a word about what you saw."

"I assure you, I won't."

"And if you so much as even _think_ about consummating the marriage—"

"I'd prefer to not get threatened again, so I'll spare you the breath and tell you that most certainly won't happen."

Rei's mouth clamped shut at the interruption, gesturing down the hall with her head. "Your chambers lay just a few rooms down; the third most door to the left."

"Thank you," Makoto said as she brushed past the warrior. She made it to the door before turning to meet Rei's gaze a final time. "Oh, and if you still feel as though you can't trust me in keeping your relationship a secret, you may tell the Jovain court that I am in love with the Mercurian princess, if you feel so inclined."

With a small smirk, the princess stepped inside the room, leaving the slightly daunted Martian alone in the hall.

She scoffed. Now they were even.

* * *

"Well, how do I look?"

The Venusian princess' question didn't carry its usual flirtatious tone as she slowly turned to meet Rei, who stood leaning against the doorframe. Her smile wasn't very encouraging as she displayed her new dress for the Martian to gaze upon. The ceremony was to take place soon, and Rei was sure the blonde would be retrieved from her room at any given moment. They cherished the remaining time they had left together before she was to be summoned.

Rei's eyes scanned the other woman before her. She looked beautiful as ever in the pristine ceremonial gown chosen for her by Queen Aphrodite. The usual red bow that sat atop her head was replaced by her crown, which was a rarity for the princess to wear on any ordinary occasion.

"You look… like you're ready for a wedding," Rei finally answered as Minako peered back at the full-length mirror she was gazing into prior.

"It's to happen soon and I still can't fathom it," she murmured, fingers toying anxiously with the necklace resting on her collar bone. "I wonder just how nervous I am."

"You're going to be fine," Rei was quick to reassure as she moved to stand behind her. Their eyes locked through the mirror, and Minako could see for a split second the unwavering certainty in her darker pair.

Her lips quirked upward in a small smile as she laced her fingers in the Martian's. "It's strange, but for some reason I believe you."

"I guess your optimism is just rubbing off on me," Rei quipped, earning a lighthearted chuckle from the other woman.

There was a knock at the door followed by one of the guard's voices ushering the blonde outside. She exhaled slowly and reluctantly removed her hand from Rei's grasp before starting across the room. Rei's call cut off her movements.

"Mina," she uttered, effectively gaining her attention once more. The words hung at the tip of her tongue—the words she has been wanting to say since she came to terms with her feelings toward the royal woman, yet found so difficult to so freely express. Given their situation, Rei wanted Minako to know just how much she truly cared for her, but being able to open up in such a way was easier said than done for the Martian. To Minako, it was as simple as a _look_ , and Rei would understand.

She just wasn't like that.

"I know," Minako murmured, taking those few steps back to the warrior to kiss her waiting lips. Rei cupped her hands over the slightly shorter' woman's cheeks as they parted. Minako gently rested her forehead against hers. "You don't have to say anything."

The incessant knocking persisted as the soldier's voice penetrated through the fine wood. "Your grace, it's time."

"Just a moment," she called, turning back to her lover. "I'll see you on the other side."

Unable to say anything else, Rei only gave a small nod of reassurance as she felt Minako's warmth slip away from her. The princess' digits met the cool handle, but she paused momentarily to speak up a final time.

"You called me Mina," she said, meeting Rei's stoic features with a wide grin. "I kind of like it."

* * *

The throne room in its entirety was filled with Jovian and Venusian delegates alike, so much so that Rei had a hard time detecting the Lunarian amidst the dense crowd. Once her sense were able to come to, she weaved her way through the nobles to subtly stand beside him. He, in turn, acknowledged her with an inquiry of his own as he remained stationed stiffly and staring ahead.

"Any bad feelings?" his voice fought against the mindless chatter around them, but he was careful not to speak loud enough for any Jovian bystanders to hear. After all, one—or possibly more—were potentially conspiring against them.

Rei's dark eyes flicked every-which-way cautiously. She was alert, especially in such a gathering where most people had their guards down. "I felt something when the shuttle landed, but otherwise, nothing has struck me as outright odd. At least that's still confirmation on my part that at least one of these Jovians are with the enemy."

"Keep on the lookout. It's just you and I who are aware of this potential threat," Artemis reminded, earning a curt nod from the Martian. He chanced a glance her way. "How was Minako?"

The warrior frowned, but was quick to mask her despondency on the topic with a nonchalant shrug. "She's holding up. It's the most she can do, I suppose."

As if on cue, the golden doors slowly creaked open as the hoard of people all turned to gaze at the Venusian princess as she started down the aisle. Jupiter Makoto was next to follow as they made their trek down the carpeted floor, stopping only when they reached the start of the few steps toward the throne where Aphrodite resided. They both offered a small bow as the queen rose from her seat to address the crowd.

"On behalf of Venus and its people, I welcome those who have traveled here from Jupiter to witness the unity between our planetary heirs," she began, voice carrying throughout the vast room. "This ceremony represents our planets trust and cooperation with each other during this time of war. With this, we will aid one another with unwavering strength and loyalty."

Aphrodite stepped aside as the Venusian priest who had been stationed beside the royal woman retrieved the goblet presented to him by one of the nobles. Minako swallowed hard as she shifted in her heels. Makoto remained still, but tense.

"The wine poured into this cup represents the elements of both happiness and bitterness in your years of life," he started, brittle digits carefully holding its embellished silver base. "Its sweetness contains all the joy and harmony you will receive, but its bitter aftertaste reflects life's greatest sorrows and disappointments. Those who share this cup will understand love's greatest journey; the journey where two people become one and bask in the happiness and overcome the hardships together."

The priest extended the goblet to Makoto, who gently took it in her waiting hands. Minako watched as she drank her share of the wine before leaving it for the blonde to take.

With unveiled hesitation, Minako seized the cup in her trembling grasp. She stared into the small pool of red before peering up to meet Rei's unmistakable pair of violet amidst the crowd. With a subtle curt nod from the Martian, Minako breathed out in attempt to maintain control of her emotions as she slowly brought the rim up to her lips.

Rei's senses struck her just as the first terrorist crashed through the window of the throne room, sending shards of glass down onto the hoard of Jovians and Venusians as they screamed out in terror.

Rei didn't have time to process the scenario as the masked men started flooding in from all openings. She ignored Artemis' calls as she fought her way through the swarm of bodies to get to the Venusian princess, but the feeling in her gut pointed her to Souji. She grabbed a hold of his garbs before he could whisk past her.

"You," she growled as his wry grin sent a chill down Rei's spine.

"You better hurry, Rei-san."

His eyes left hers to peer past her where the princess remained, frantically searching for the Martian amidst the disarray. Rei sneered before roughly releasing her grip on him to make it to Minako.

Opposers were already beginning to close in on her. Rei propelled herself forward in order to successfully make it to the blonde, ripping her sword out from its sheathe.

Just as she prepared herself for the first strike, a single voice silenced the chaos in the room. Rei watched carefully as a lone figure made its way down the floor, and immediately her senses were prodding her brain, signaling her that this person was far more dangerous than any Opposers she has come across.

" _It's him._ "

The man sauntered toward the pair as both Venusian and terrorist armies withheld any such movements. Rei's white-knuckled fist gripped the pommel in anticipation as she watched him stop mid-way, icy blue eyes peering up to stare into Rei's fiery amethyst.

"Let's not fight… just yet," he stated coolly. The room was still. Rei could hear Minako's shaky breathing behind her.

With a furrowed brow, Rei studied the intruder before her, gaze trailing over his full armored body. It bore the Uranian crest, causing any remaining doubts the warrior had about his identity to be answered. The tips of his long, sandy blonde hair brushed against his shoulder blades, while his stance appeared to be no taller than Artemis'. Rei eyed the heavy metal sword slung by his hip; the weaponry also belonged to Uranus.

Souji stepped forward suddenly as he kneeled before the foreigner. Rei's jaw clenched while Minako clasped a hand over her mouth at the scene. Makoto's eyes widened in shock. An unsettling feeling invaded the room.

"Your grace, I have done my part."

"Indeed, you have fulfilled your promise to me. For that, you have my trust," he replied. Souji nodded curtly at the praise from his superior. The man suddenly chuckled, averting his attention back to Rei and the court. "I hope you can forgive my rudeness, I nearly forgot to introduce myself. My name is—"

"Takeshi," Rei unabashedly interrupted, earning a small grin from the newcomer.

"So you _have_ heard of me," he said. "It's no surprise to me that you have, however. My power throughout this solar system is only growing. What you might not be aware of is that I also know you… Mars Rei."

"What?" Rei gasped, her fighting stance faltering ever-so-slightly. A low chuckle resonated in the room.

"Truthfully, I was planning on making my way to Venus as soon as I discovered the ceremony between the Venusian and Jovian princesses was to take place at Magellan. It was going to be like killing two birds with one stone," he said, eyes flicking past Rei to meet Minako's fear-filled orbs. "And once I knew _three_ heirs would be present… well, I just couldn't resist. I had to make my move a bit earlier than scheduled."

"Three?" Rei echoed questioningly. "Who is the third heir?"

Takeshi took a moment to bask in the Martian's ignorance on the subject. "Why, that would be _you_ , of course."

* * *

A/N: Wow, a new chapter 0_0 Again, I apologize for the lack of consistent updates, but I'm FINALLY done with finals so hopefully I'll be able to crank a few more chapters out within the next three weeks. Happy holidays everyone!


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N: (Slowly emerges from the depth of the unknown) hi guys :) I can't apologize enough for the very, very long delay. All I can say is that life got in the way and that I've been dealing with a lot of stuff and haven't had time to work on this story. There's not too much left of it so I will hopefully still be able to get through it all, but again, bear with me as the updates slowly (but surely) come in. Happy reading!**

* * *

"You're the third heir, Mars Rei," Takeshi said with a wild grin. "Or should I say, _Princess_ Rei?"

"That can't be," Rei murmured in disbelief, sword slowly sinking toward the floor. Her head was spinning as her gaze ventured off distantly beyond the tyrant in thought. Her features suddenly flashed with anger at the possibility that he was deceiving her and she sprung back to life with her weapon erected once more. "You're _lying_!"

Takeshi was practically feeding off her anger. "Oh, but I'm not. You see, when I paid a visit to Ares, he told me something very interesting…. Something that has been kept secret to the public for a long time. Contrary to popular belief, he _does_ have an heir, but no one knew about her because he abandoned her and the commoner mother from the day she was born. And once the mother died… well, you can imagine that the secret of the child's royalty also went with her. The princess has since been but a lowly civilian… and her name?" he paused, rising the anticipation in the room. "Rei."

A chorus of gasps and discontented murmurs filled the area as the Martian's eyes widened at the discovery. Minako cupped a hand over her gaping mouth, shock overlapping her features.

"Rei," she uttered, voice barely above a whisper. Hot, fresh tears burned the back of her eyes.

After taking a moment to compose herself from the overwhelming news, Rei's jaw clenched as she calmly continued. "So I suppose you've come here to kill me, as well."

"Seeing as you are in my way between me and the Venusian princess, then I suppose I have no choice," he replied casually. Minako swallowed hard. "I'm almost inclined not to, however, seeing as how similar we are."

"What are you talking about," Rei growled, voice low. The question came out more as a demand.

Takeshi frowned, blue eyes flashing resentment as he spoke. "I was also abandoned by my father, King Uranus, when I was a child. In his eyes, I was a failure, no matter how I tried to appease him. Once he had my sister Haruka, I was disregarded by him in favor of her. _She_ was everything he wanted his true heir to be; she was beautiful, strong, independent… I was old enough to remember my father, but too young to understand why he disowned me the way he did. Once I grew older, however, my resentment for him and my sister grew, and I made my way back up in the Uranian court as a royal delegate in disguise," a wicked grin suddenly splayed across his lips. "Little did they know that I was comprising an army of my own; a campaign to rid the solar system of _all_ rulers, beginning with my self-righteous father and sister. In the end, my wait was worth it and they got what they deserved."

Minako moved to stand beside Rei to get a better view of the terrorist as she spoke. "How could you do that? How could you _kill_ your own father and sibling?!"

"They betrayed _me_ first!" Takeshi cried, causing the blonde to take a cautious step back at the outburst. "They treated me like I was nothing; like I wasn't even one of them! I had every right to do what I did, and I have no qualms for it. I'll prove that I'm a better ruler than my ever father was and what my sister would have been."

"You're a true heir to the Uranian throne," Minako continued, voice unwavering despite her fear of the foreigner. "And if you rid the remaining kings and queens and their children, then you'll be the only one left. You'll be the sole ruler of the entire solar system."

"Excellent deduction, princess," Takeshi praised. Rei's eyes narrowed as his hand slowly gravitated over to his sword's hilt. "Which is why you can imagine that I didn't just come here to simply _discuss_ matters of dictatorship… I came here to conquer."

Rei was quick to counter the swipe of a nearby Opposer as he came at the warrior's left with his blade. The chaos was quick to erupt once more as Venusian and Jovian leaders attempted to flee from the scene. Many were slaughtered upon their inability to fight off the terrorists, and it took only moments for the sounds of cries and gutted men and women to fill the room.

Rei's intent was shielding Minako from any incoming danger as she struck one masked man to another with her sword. It was then, however, that she realized Makoto didn't have any guards adjacent to her to ward off the enemies. When the Martian pivoted to aid her, she didn't hide her surprise when she found the taller woman striking down the invaders with a spear she somehow acquired, letting out a battle cry at each swipe. It was evident the princess knew how to wield a weapon.

Focusing back on the Venusian princess' area, Rei managed to successfully protect her from the remaining terrorists, but was surprisingly struggling to ward off the last one. As they clashed back and forth, Rei watched helplessly as Takeshi slowly made his way up to Minako, who didn't have so much as a dagger to defend herself. The warrior cursed audibly, her strikes becoming more haphazard and rushed as she hurried to finish him off to get to the blonde.

Minako's wide, blue eyes stared up at him as he approached her, weapon poised and ready for an attack. "Poor, defenseless princess…" he grinned wryly at the fear streaked across her features. "No one here to save you."

Terror froze Minako's entire body, causing her to remain static despite her mind screaming at her to move. She could only instinctively squeeze her eyes shut as she waited for the blade, but the sound of metal on metal snapped her gaze back in front of her to find Artemis with his sword against Takeshi's.

"Artemis!" Minako gasped as the Lunarian struggled against the tyrant's strength.

"Minako, go!" he rasped, stance faltering slightly under the immense pressure of Takeshi's sword. "It's not safe here!"

"But—!"

"Don't think! Just go!" he cried. Takeshi cursed as the blonde heeded his words and set off in the opposite direction.

"You're in my way," he sneered, slashing at the white haired man. "I don't stand for insolence."

Artemis winced as one of Takeshi's hits knocked his weapon from his grasp, and he wasn't fast enough to miss the tip of the blade as it tore into his side. Blood stained the white fabric of his shirt as he let out a garbled cry at the pain. The Uranian scoffed as he watched him clutch onto his side in attempt to suppress the bleeding.

"I expected nothing more from an adviser on _Venus_ ," he said, raising his sword once more. "You're nothing."

Takeshi's blade was once again suppressed, this time by the Venusian princess. His eyes widened in mild disbelief as he stared down at her and the weapon she obtained from one of the fallen invaders. Despite using the force of both arms, she found herself quickly succumbing to his strength. Her breath labored under the pressure.

After recovering from the shock of her sudden appearance, Takeshi let out a low chuckle at her frail display. "You surprise me, princess. It seems you're not as cowardly as I so readily expected you to be."

"I won't let you hurt him," Minako panted, gritting her teeth together in attempt to keep her quivering arms upright. She knew she wasn't going to last much longer. Artemis struggled to get back up to aid her, but to no avail.

In a silver swipe, Rei's blade came between the two, effectively causing the terrorist to stumble backward in attempt to not get lacerated by the Martian. Takeshi frowned, gaze snapping over to meet Rei's fiery amethyst as she took her place back in front of the princess protectively. Minako allowed a breath of relief to escape her lips at the sight of her lover.

"This ends now," she uttered. "If you want to fight, then you fight me."

The Uranian glanced at the shattered window beside him. Rei narrowed her eyes. "I'm afraid that will have to be postponed, Martian princess. But I assure you, this is only the beginning."

With one swift movement, he made a dash for the window as the warship he descended upon earlier reappeared. The remaining Opposers followed after him as they escaped the scene, the shuttle carrying them away in a burst of light.

The sword that was once propped upright in the warrior's grasp clattered to the ground. Lifeless bodies scattered the area as pools of blood encircled them. The once chaotic room fell to an eerie silence as Rei found herself slowly sinking to her knees on the glass-covered floor, unfazed by the pieces that pinched into her skin through her suit.

Her dark, distant eyes stared ahead as she remained unmoving. She didn't register the princess' touch or the urgent call of her name.

* * *

A sliver of golden light shinned down on Rei's sleeping figure.

Dark, raven tresses spilled messily on the bed she lay on as consciousness slowly took over her, brow knitting together as the evening sun now streamed onto her face, effectively disrupting her slumber.

She grunted and slowly allowed her eyes to open, fixing her gaze on the recognizable ceiling of not her own, but…

"You're awake."

The gentle voice penetrated the Martian's ears as she quickly sat up. She ignored the wave of vertigo that overcame her in order to meet the pair of cerulean eyes that had been watching her from a safe distance from her seat at the edge of the bed. She didn't know how she got here—she was just glad to see the princess unscathed, though, she couldn't say the same for herself, for she could feel parts of her body throbbing incessantly from warding off the swarm of invaders.

Minako offered a small, hesitant smile as the warrior adjusted to her surroundings. "Hey."

Rei swallowed thickly and placed a hand over her forehead. "What happened?"

"You fainted," the blonde replied, smile morphing into a somber frown. "You were brought back here this afternoon. It's nearly sunset."

"And you've been with me ever since?" Rei asked, slightly disbelief laced in her tone.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright," she said genuinely. She detected the half-smile on the other woman's lips at the words. "Do you… remember what happened?"

Rei frowned as memories of Takeshi and the ambush came flooding back to her. Her hands clenched around the material of the sheets, whitening her knuckles. "I remember."

Minako's hand found its way to Rei's tense one as she gave it a gentle squeeze. Dark, amethyst eyes slowly peered up to meet glossy cerulean.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured. "I'm sorry he exposed your identity like that… not only to you, but to the public," she shook her head, eyes lowering to absently study the bedspread. "I can't even fathom its truth."

"It doesn't matter," Rei dismissed, gaining the other woman's attention once more. "I still want nothing to do with my father, regardless of his status."

"I'm not saying you have to forgive him," Minako countered. "If fact, if I were you, I wouldn't either. What I'm trying to stress to you is that your life is just as important as mine now. You're _royalty_ , Rei. You cannot just simply disregard your own life in order to protect mine. You have a role to fulfill in the future."

Rei scoffed at her words. "He abandoned me for a reason, Mina. He clearly doesn't want me back. Why should I feel obligated to succeed him if he never wanted me from the beginning?"

"There are no other Martian heirs, Rei. He _has_ to rely on you unless he wants his family's reign to end," Minako tried to reason with the flared warrior. She sighed lightly as Rei turned away sourly. "All I'm saying is that when Ares' rule comes to an end, it's your duty to maintain the throne whether he likes it or not… or you, for that matter."

"I already have a duty," Rei replied promptly. "I accepted the role in being your protector, and being an heir to the Martian throne won't change that."

"Rei…" Minako breathed, unsure if she was exasperated by the stubborn woman's defiance or daunted by her unwavering dedication. She decided to drop the conversation for the sake of not riling the already wired soldier. Rei shifted in the bed, wincing as her legs brushed against the sheets in the process.

"Why do I have cuts all on my body?" she muttered as she examined her arms, which had trails of angry red lines on them.

"When you collapsed you fell onto shards of glass from when they came through the windows," Minako informed, gripping her hand a little tighter. "You're lucky that's all you got."

Rei cursed, anger swelling inside her. "If only he hadn't fled, I could have killed him. I _know_ I could have, and he knew it too, which is why he left. Next time I'll be sure to kill him," her voice lowered as she spoke. "I almost failed in my duty to protect you. Luckily Artemis was there, but…"

Her words were silenced by Minako's index finger on her lips as dark amethyst trailed over to meet her gaze questioningly. "I don't want to hear that. Every day you risk your life for me, and I will not have you saying that what you did wasn't good enough. I know you want your revenge on Takeshi—we _all_ do. You just can't be reckless about it," her hand moved to cup her cheek as she gently caressed her skin with her thumb. "I need you to take care of yourself for me… or at least let _me_ take care of you."

Minako watched as her lover visibly relaxed at the words as she absently leaned into her touch. She was surprised to find a small smile settle on her ruby lips. "You say a lot about being lucky that you have me, but it's actually me who's the lucky one. You keep me grounded when I'm not seeing things clearly. That's what I love about you."

The blonde's heart thudded sporadically in her chest as she spoke, grinning coyly as she leaned closer the warrior. "Is that all you love about me?"

Rei answered the inquiry by eagerly closing the space between them with a kiss. Minako was quick to move above the raven haired woman to straddle her hips, never breaking the contact. Her hand slipped under the front of her shirt to feel soft skin, but Rei ceased her movements by firmly yet gently taking a hold of her digits. At this, the princess did break the kiss to offer a bemused look in response to her abrupt reaction.

"Someone might…" she trailed off, glancing at the door with the shake of her head. "And I don't think I'm physically capable of… satisfying you right now."

Rei's cheeks burned at her own commentary. Minako tucked a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear as Rei peered up at her resolved pair of cerulean.

"You're right. You should get more rest. It hasn't been an easy day," the princess said. "I should pay my respects to some of the others who were injured."

Rei offered a nod, and Minako bit her lower lip at her disposition. Rei was never an easy person to read, and now the blonde really wasn't sure what more to say to her. Instead, she brought her paler hand up to her ruby lips and kissed the back of her palm. The gentle action caused the Martian to relax slightly as Minako slowly looked back up at her.

"If you need anything…"

"I know," Rei interjected, voice barely above a whisper. She watched as Minako rose from her seat and started toward the door. "Thank you, Mina."

A small, somber graced the princess' lips. "You're welcome."

* * *

Magellan's infirmary was grossly overpopulated that evening.

Horrified cerulean eyes gazed at the broken bodies of her soldiers lined up in rows of beds, many grimacing or howling in pain as nurses scurried about to tend to their wounded limbs. Others simply remained stationary and staring blankly at the ceiling, as the shock of losing valuable body parts hadn't quite fully processed in their minds. Minako felt a surge of nausea wash over her and she steadied herself on the nearby wall in order to overcome her lightheadedness at the gruesome sights. Her heart wrenched in agony at those who so bravely fought to protect her and died – or nearly died – in the process.

At the sight of her superior, one of the nurses dashed over to Minako, who was still holding onto the wall to maintain her balance.

"Minako-sama! You shouldn't be here! It's much too…" the young nurse tripped over her words, unsure of how to verbalize the situation to the princess. "The number of casualties… it's the most we've ever seen. And the Jovian ambassadors—"

"Please, I need you to tell me where Artemis is," Minako interrupted hastily. She was sure her stomach couldn't handle the nurse describing the horrors she had seen.

"O-Oh, yes, of course. Right this way."

Minako's eyes were drilled to the floor as she followed behind the nurse. Even though she couldn't see the soldier's gashed and bloodies bodies, hearing their groans and cries of pain was just as worse. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment to suppress the tears she could feel burning the back of her deep blue orbs and breathed out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding in when the nurse's trek came to a halt. She gestured to the bed beside her before making a dash to tend to the soldier in the bed across from his who was bellowing in agony.

Minako was relieved to find her adviser resting peacefully. The only evidence of the fight that remained was the streak of red harshly contrasting his pure white getup on his side, reminding the blonde that the Lunarian hadn't gotten away unscathed. The princess reached out a hand to lay gently on his, and the small action roused the white haired man back to life.

Deep blue eyes met the princess' lighter shade. "Minako—?"

Overjoyed at the sight of her old friend, Minako lunged forward and pulled him into a fierce hug. "Thank the gods you're alright."

"Y-Yes," he stuttered, wincing at the impact of the aggressive yet loving hug. Minako felt his body tense in pain and she quickly released her hold.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you."

"It's okay," Artemis assured. "How are you?"

Minako shrugged as a frown tugged on her lips. "Scared. I can't believe we were targeted. And we were betrayed by someone we considered an ally."

Artemis nodded solemnly. "And… Rei?"

The Venusian shook her head. "She's hurting. She's remaining calm about the situation – infuriatingly so – but I can tell she's upset. Who wouldn't be in her position? The life she has been living for twenty years has been a lie."

"It is undoubtedly a shocking and tragic discovery, and I feel greatly for her," Artemis agreed. "But her role in the planetary kingdoms has just gained a new level of importance especially during this time of war. Mars needs her as an heir now more than ever."

"I attempted to talk to her about it already but it's a delicate topic as you can imagine," Minako replied. "Ares wanted nothing to do with her when she was born, what makes you think he will want her back now?"

"If he wants to maintain his legacy with his true heir then he is going to need her," Artemis said. "He may not have needed her twenty years ago but he would be a fool to simply disregard a future ruler Mars will need in order to maintain a kingdom."

Minako's eyes met the floor. "Otherwise it'll end up like Uranus. The surrounding planets cannot afford to harbor anymore people, they're becoming far too congested."

"It's going to take some time and convincing on both parties, and it may result in a trip to Mars in order to do so," Artemis sighed. "For now we need to focus on keeping Opposers away from Magellan. They'll most likely be making another appearance very soon. Your safety is our priority as of now."

"I'm not the only one who needs protecting—" the princess suddenly gasped as the sentence roused a sudden thought in her mind. "Makoto-san! Is she-?"

Artemis brought up a steady hand to silence the fretting blonde. "She's fine. The last I saw her she was being escorted back to her chambers. From what I saw she managed to escape with only a few scratches. But she certainly seems to hold her own in battle."

At this, Minako breathed out in relief. "Thank the gods. With everything going on with Rei I nearly forgot. I hope she's coping after finding out about Souji's betrayal."

"Everyone seems to be in a state of shock right now," Artemis murmured. His dark blue eyes hesitantly met that of his superior's. "I know I'm no fighter. I barely know how to wield a sword myself. But I would sacrifice my life for yours in a heartbeat, Minako. I just hope that… you were able to gain my trust back after what I did."

The princess clasped her hands in his larger ones. "Gods, Artemis, of course. You didn't need to go through such lengths to prove your worth to me; I forgave you a long time ago. I love you far too much to still be caught up in what is now in the past."

The sincere words brought a small smile to the white haired man's lips. "Thank you." His voice was thick with tears, but he cleared his throat in attempt to withhold the emotion laced within the words. "It's been quite an eventful day, and you must be exhausted from taking care of Rei. You should take this down time to get some rest. With everything going on, who knows when your next good night sleep will be."

Minako's eyes averted to the marble floor. "I don't think I can sleep during such a time. I'm frightened of what will happen."

"Well, with the palace in lockdown, there are vigilantes at every corner. You should be able to sleep soundly for at least a few hours knowing you and your mother are well protected," Artemis assured.

"I suppose," Minako murmured, trying to sound as confident about the subject as the adviser. "I think I will retreat for now and then see Rei for a bit. I'm not sure how much rest I'll get, but I'll try."

Artemis gave a nod. "Good."

With one final squeeze of the Lunarian's hand, the blonde offered a somber smile. "I'm really glad you're okay. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Luckily you won't ever have to find out."

Artemis withheld a wince as the princess embraced him in an all-too-aggressive hug yet again.

* * *

The door to Minako's chambers closed with a gentle click.

She wandered into the room in a slight daze, possibly from being over-tired, possibly from being in a constant state of shock for the past several hours. This was the first time she was actually alone since the incident, and the first time she was able to process everything in a perfect state of solitude. Though, she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Rehashing the events of the day will force her to finally come to terms with everything, not only with the terrorists but with Rei.

Minako slowly made her way over to the vast bed and sank into the soft sheets. She hadn't even had time to mull over the discovery of Rei's identity and what that means for her future, and theirs as a couple. Despite Rei's defiance on the subject, she still may need to return to Mars in order to fulfill her true duty. A part of Minako wishes this wasn't the case, either. While the Martian is no longer considered a mere foot soldier, her role within the solar system altered greatly within a few hours, and her safety during such dangerous times has also changed. She wondered if Rei will truly take that into consideration or if she will continue to recklessly remain by her side even with her new established responsibility as an heir. Deep down, Minako selfishly hoped it will be the ladder.

Even with her mind racing, as soon as Minako laid her head on the soft pillow, her eyes couldn't help but slip shut. She hadn't realized how physically exhausted she was, so much so that the figure that hovered over her didn't rouse her senses. It was only when a hand clamped over her mouth did her cerulean eyes shoot open to find Takeshi standing by her bedside, slowly raising an index finger up to his own lips as a signal for her to remain silent. Her eyes snapped from his dark outline to the nearby window, which remained ajar, notifying the princess that he was able to slither in the room without her noticing.

Minako's heart pounded in her ears, but she knew better than to make a sound. For all she knew, Opposers were lurking about the palace unbeknownst to the soldiers, or Rei or Makoto for that matter.

"Are you going to comply?" he asked as the blonde nodded vehemently. He could see even in the dim lighting that her hand was reaching slowly and gingerly under the bed, in what he guessed was her reaching for a weapon. The princess' brows furrowed at the now smirking Uranian. "Something tells me I don't believe you."

Even Minako's swift movement was deflected by Takeshi, who just barely missed the dagger that came toward the side of his neck. With his free hand, he knocked the weapon from her trembling hold and collided his fist into her temple, effectively knocking her out.

"Sorry about that, your highness."


End file.
